Reaching people with dementia
People with dementia at the conference, 2002
"In many countries there are no services available at all for people in the early stages of dementia. Hopefully through Alzheimer's Disease International the countries which have good services can act as mentors for the countries which do not". Marilyn Truscott, Canada (the first person with dementia to be elected to the Alzheimer Society of Canada's board).
ADI has taken a leading role in encouraging Alzheimer associations to include people with dementia in their work. This is so that Alzheimer associations can tailor the services and information they provide to the real needs of people with dementia, help reduce stigma and enable people with dementia to feel valued and included.
ADI has encouraged its members to be inclusive of people with dementia by:
- Updating the "Charter of Principles for the care of people with dementia and their carers"
- Producing the factsheet "How Alzheimer's associations can be more inclusive of people with dementia"
- Including presentations by people with dementia at ADI conferences
- Running conference workshops on how Alzheimer associations can involve people with dementia
- A person with dementia was voted onto ADI's executive committee in 2003
