20th International Conference of ADI
ADI's 20th annual international conference made headline news throughout Japan as people with dementia from Japan spoke publicly for the first time about their diagnosis - a historic moment for the dementia movement in a culture where people are not accustomed to expressing their private lives in public.
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Mr Ochi, who spoke about his diagnosis of dementia
Among those who spoke out was a 73-year old man, who after announcing he had dementia, described how he noticed something was wrong five years ago. Happily retired and an active member of the community, he realised one day driving his car that he had no idea where he was going. Afraid at first to consult a doctor, he was worried that 'one of these days, I won't be able to recognise my family.'
However, he decided to speak out and dispel the myths about dementia and said 'People tend to think the onset of dementia deprives you of everything, that you are lost. That's not true. I wanted to send the message that I am getting on with my life, just like normal. My brain may be failing but I won't be alone. I will continue to try and live out my life my own way.'
Over 4000 people from 66 countries joined ADI in Kyoto from 15-17th October for ADI's largest conference to date, hosted by Alzheimer's Association Japan. The conference also marked ADI's 20th anniversary celebrations; a fitting location given that Japan is home to the world's oldest population where there are currently 1.5 people aged 60 years and over for every child and 1.6 million people with dementia.
The three-day conference focused on care, people with dementia and the family, and dementia and human rights. Keynote presentations explored the global impact of dementia. Harry Cayton, Department of Health (UK), reviewed the role family organisations and ADI have played in improving the lives of people with dementia and their families and argued that endeavour creates hope and hope further endeavour.
Robert Butler, International Longevity Center (USA), spoke about the need for an official Declaration of the Rights of Older Persons and for society to both acknowledge the human abuses of older people and adopt measures to end them.
Denzil Lush, Court of Protection (UK), took an in-depth look at human rights from the specific viewpoint of people with dementia. He argued that privatisation and globalisation could impede the advancement of human rights as governments, who have formerly assumed responsibility for delivering health and social care programmes, are now increasingly devolving their functions from the national to the local level, or transferring them entirely from the public sector to the private sector.
ADI workshops included 'Nothing about us without us! Advocacy by people with dementia' where Christine Bryden (Australia), who has dementia, argued that until people with dementia are engaged locally, nationally and internationally, the Alzheimer's movement will not hear their voice and policies and programmes cannot be adequately designed to meet their needs. In the 'changing role of Alzheimer associations' workshop, presenters from Western Australia, New Zealand, USA and Romania demonstrated how increased awareness has led to a greater demand for services and how their associations have addressed this change.
As in previous years, the social events featured highly in making the conference such a memorable event. ADI celebrated its 20th anniversary with a birthday party where Brian Moss, ADI's first chairman, cut the birthday cake and Harry Cayton led 'The history of ADI in a hurry' - a retrospective drawn from memories of people who have been involved with ADI since its formation. Entertainment was provided by the guests themselves as they took to the stage for karaoke! The gala dinner was also a night to remember as delegates networked socially in between traditional Japanese singing and dancing.
The conference drew to a close with the World Health Organization (WHO) and ADI setting out the Kyoto Declaration - an action plan for dementia. The challenge now is to put this into action.
Where next?
