ADI is also calling for dementia to be included in international development aid programmes to support low and middle income nations, countries which will account for 68% of the total global prevalence by the middle of the century.
Over 315,000 people who die of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia need palliative care at the end of life each year, and the palliative care needs of people living with dementia are likely under-assessed and under-treated worldwide.
Palliative care can improve the quality of life and death of people living with dementia, and supports family members and carers.
Palliative care advocates attended the landmark World Health Organisation (WHO) Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia, in March this year, where 80 countries signed a global call for action on dementia.
While the event resulted in the most significant expression of commitment to action on dementia to date, the WHO is yet to reach a resolution which would commit countries to make dementia a national health priority.
On World Alzheimer’s Day, ADI is urging the WHO to turn words in action, scaling up their previous commitments to help support people living with dementia around the world.
ADI believes that a global action plan would provide a framework within which WHO Member States could increase awareness of dementia, improve diagnosis rates and increase access to post-diagnostic dementia services, provide support for caregivers and make a commitment to person-centred care for people living with dementia, among others.
Read more and download the World Alzheimer Report 2015: The Global Impact of Dementia on the Alzheimer’s Disease International website.
The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance has published a statement on palliative care and dementia. This can be accessed through the
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