21st International Conference of ADI

The Turkish Alzheimer Society were our hosts for the this year's impressive event. They showed great hospitality in their non-stop provision of elegant cultural performances, delicious local fare and sparkling social events.

Educational days were followed by splendid Turkish nights, opening with a beautiful ceremony that combined traditional Greek and Turkish dance and set the scene for the cultural unity present at the conference. The week culminated in a haze of farewells and dancing at the elegant gala dinner at the Ciragan Palace on the banks of the Bosphorous.

Delegates left the conference better able to face the challenges that lie ahead with renewed sense of global solidarity. TAS hope that the media exposure from the conference will increase dementia awareness and help their organisation to grow to support people with dementia and carers all across Turkey.

Session tasters

1. Dutch euthanasia law and dementia

Marc Wortmann's presentation on this controversial topic sparked lively debate. In the Netherlands the practice of euthanasia is legal and in the last 10 years there have been four cases of people with Alzheimer's disease requesting that euthanasia relieve them of their suffering.

Many of these requests come in the form of advanced directives where a person, knowing they are facing a future of degeneration and incapacity, prefers to terminate their life rather than face the reality of dementia.

Audience members commented that it would be difficult for a person with dementia to coherently express a well-considered and voluntary request to die, or to express that they are suffering hopelessly and unbearably - the criteria that makes euthanasia lawful. They also remarked that this was a symptom of the stigma of Alzheimer's disease: that many were suffering from the terror at the prospect of the condition as opposed to the condition itself.

2. 6th Stroud interactive workshop: The role of spirituality in the quality of life of a person with dementia

Barry Gurland presented this interactive and emotionally charged workshop looking into quality of life for people with dementia. He was joined by Nori Graham (UK), Stavros Baloyannis (Greece), and Christine Bryden (Australia) who each told the group of their own personal experiences of spirituality in caring, treatment and living with the disease. The group was given the chance to talk openly about their lives as carers and the discussion was a touching demonstration of compassion and understanding as the group shared its common experiences of dementia. Find the website at www.stroudsymposia.org

3. Building partnerships in multi-cultural communities

Peter Braun of the Los Angeles chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, USA gave a presentation about his chapter's outreach project to assess the needs of the Latino community in LA. Over 45% of LA's population is of Hispanic origin and Peter has identified a huge deficiency in services available for the community.

He stressed the importance of culture in our lives: 'It's like oxygen, it influences the way we think and act. Culture affects our perception of dementia and can influence the care given to someone with the disease.' Language, discrimination and low income are only some of the service barriers that prevent adequate care and services being delivered to minority groups. 'Terminology and materials need to be made language specific and appropriate to the particular culture,' said Peter.

Making headway in the Middle East

The conference was a unique opportunity to reach out to the Middle East region. Thanks to funding from the Helen Bader Foundation, it was an opportunity that ADI took. Within the twenty countries of the region, there are an estimated one million people with dementia but just five ADI member associations to support them. ADI wants to change this and Istanbul was the first step towards this goal.

Eleven representatives from the region were sponsored to attend the meeting including people from Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia where associations are in the early stages of development. The centrepiece of the week was a regional meeting where Alzheimer association representatives met with other interested individuals from the region. They were able to share information and hopes for the future, whilst learning about ADI, prevalence studies and the importance of Alzheimer associations.

Although there are clearly common challenges in the region, there is also great enthusiasm for supporting people with dementia and their carers. As Mrs Basrawi from Saudi Arabia commented, "It was a wonderful opportunity to meet distinguished figures and others from the region with the same aim as me. I came back so energetic to do so many things; it is overwhelming". ADI continued to support the development of the associations in the region by providing advice, sharing contacts and inviting representatives to the Alzheimer University held in London the following May.