25 years of conferences

ADI annual International Conference

‘A deep and lasting personal impression of the conference was the atmosphere of friendship and encouragement in which I was able to work together with so many excellent colleagues.’ Prof Alexander Kurz, Germany

From its inception in Brussels, Belgium in 1985, ADI’s annual International Conference has offered people around the world with a common interest in dementia the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and information. ADI members have also been offered the opportunity to publicise their own work through exhibition stands at the conference.

There is always a medical and scientific component that provides an update on dementia research. Sessions for and by professional carers and representatives from related fields are also included.

In 1989, at ADI’s 5th International Conference in Ireland, Dr Rory O’Hanlon, Minister of Health for the country, addressed conference delegates, informing them of the proposed steps the Irish government would take to improve the lives of people with dementia in the country. Fifty speakers were present at the conference, talking on such issues as technical research and medical aspects of dementia and problems faced by carers. Dr O’Hanlon went on to host a reception for conference delegates at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. The presence of a member of national government has been a key feature at a number of ADI’s conferences.

The conference in Ireland attracted 250 people representing 22 countries. Just two years later, around 400 delegates registered for the conference held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The same year a Conference Committee was formed to review applications from members wishing to host future ADI conferences.

ADI’s 9th International Conference in 1993, held in Toronto, Canada, attracted over 700 delegates from more than 30 countries. In 1994, ADI’s International Conference, A Decade of Change - Looking back ... Looking forward, hosted by Alzheimer Scotland - Action on Dementia in Edinburgh, saw ADI organise its first consensus conference, Predictive genetic testing, where delegates were given the opportunity to question a panel of experts in the dementia field. The following year a second consensus conference, Screening for dementia in general practice, took place.

In 1997, ADI ran a series of workshops aimed specifically at member associations, during the 13th International Conference. These workshops provided excellent opportunities for associations to come together and share their experiences. ADI has continued to arrange workshops encompassing a variety of subjects for a range of different groups, with particular focus on the work of Alzheimer associations.

ADI’s highest-attended conference to date took place in 2004 in Kyoto, Japan, with over 4,000 delegates. The event generated 73 million media impressions throughout the country as Japanese people with dementia spoke publicly for the first time about their experiences.
In 2006, it was decided that the International Conference should be moved from later to earlier in the year in order to avoid conflicting with World Alzheimer’s Day in September. This was implemented in March 2009 with the 24th conference held in Singapore after there had been no conference in 2008.

People from all over the world are invited to give presentations and attend the conference. It has become a significant international event that helps raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease in the host country and sends a message to the wider world about the growing unified effort that stands by people with dementia and their families.

An important outcome of ADI conferences is their impact subsequently. It is as if the light is switched on by the arrival of hundreds of international visitors and the attention of the media. India is an excellent example. Following the 1998 conference, the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India became stronger and saw a higher level of awareness within the country.

ADI past conference locations

1985 Brussels, Belgium
1986 Paris, France
1987 Chicago, USA
1988 Brisbane, Australia
1989 Dublin, Ireland
1990 Mexico City, Mexico
1991 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1992 Brussels, Belgium
1993 Toronto, Canada
1994 Edinburgh, Scotland
1995 Buenos Aires, Argentina
1996 Jerusalem, Israel
1997 Helsinki, Finland
1998 Cochin, India
1999 Johannesburg, South Africa
2000 Washington, D.C., USA
2001 Christchurch, New Zealand
2002 Barcelona, Spain
2003 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2004 Kyoto, Japan
2005 Istanbul, Turkey
2006 Berlin, Germany
2007 Caracas, Venezuela
2009 Singapore

Regional meetings and conferences

‘Our regional meeting in Monterrey showed us that we can work together! We exchanged ideas and took steps to help each other. The determination to keep on working against adversity is really an inspiration.’ Daisy Acosta, Asociacion Dominicana de Alzheimer, 2005

Meetings and conferences between Alzheimer associations in the same world region have been of great benefit to those involved. Sometimes facilitated by similarities in language or culture, these meetings have provided an opportunity to establish and strengthen networks and channels of communication. ADI members recognised that, within a world region, many of the problems and challenges facing Alzheimer associations were very similar: stretched resources; difficulties in getting government recognition of their work; or the challenge of reaching marginalised populations within the country. Regional meetings have given ADI member associations the chance to talk about their activities and services and learn from, and be inspired by, the work of their neighbours.

In 1998, ADI’s Latin American member associations hosted their first regional conference in Caracas, Venezuela. The objective of the conference was to exchange information and skills between the different Alzheimer associations in the region, with a particular focus on the prevalence of dementia, education of professionals, support groups, fundraising and carer support. In 2008, members in the Latin American region decided to launch a formal Alzheimer Iberoamerica regional group.

The first Asia Pacific regional conference and meeting also took place in 1998 and was followed by a second held in Singapore in September 1999. ADI member associations within the Asia Pacific regional group have continued to develop a strong working relationship despite the wide range of cultures contained within the region. On World Alzheimer’s Day 2006, the group released a report entitled Dementia in the Asia Pacific Region: The Epidemic is Here, which highlighted the potential impact dementia could have on health systems and the quality of life of people with dementia in the region.

The regional meetings, often held during the conferences, have also provided regional groups with the opportunity to discuss where improvements could be made to strengthen the group and how ADI could work with member associations to implement the necessary changes.

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