The 35th Alzheimer Europe Conference ‘Connecting science and communities: The future of dementia care’ was held in Bologna from 6-8th October 2025.
With over 1500 delegates from 48 countries, the conference brought together a wealth of knowledge, expertise and shared enthusiasm.
We were delighted that Jan Oyebode, Professor of Dementia Care at University of Bradford and Deputy Director of DeNPRU Exeter, was at this year’s conference to present our DeNPRU Exeter project on ‘Improving awareness and reducing stigma of dementia in minority ethnic communities.’
Jan shared findings from a scoping review and consultations on campaigns to improve community awareness. Key takeaways included:
- A review of 21 relevant sources revealed a range of campaign formats, including videos, podcasts, online guides, posters, webinars, and community-led initiatives.
- Campaigns that resonated most with communities featured personal stories, information delivered by professionals, the use of community languages, and discussions on culturally relevant topics.
- Research evidence suggests awareness-raising campaigns have potential to improve knowledge and encourage help-seeking.
- Consultations highlighted that: campaigns should be inclusive of all generations, that building trusting and sustainable relationships are key to changing attitudes, that a culturally aware workforce is crucial, and that gaps in ethnicity data and a lack of long-term funding undermine impactful campaigns.
This work is part of a wider project, ‘Reducing inequalities across the care pathway for minority ethnic communities.’ You can read more about this project and view and download the project report on our website.
Plenary discussions at the conference covered powerful topics such as the importance of giving voice to people with dementia, gender and sexuality in dementia care, and preparing for new Alzheimer’s disease treatments.
The oral and poster presentations offered thoughtful insights underpinned by a shared commitment to shaping a future when dementia care is more inclusive and equitable.
The conference concluded with a brilliant keynote by Professor Marco Trabucchi, who explored the future of dementia diagnosis and treatment. His message was characterised by optimism and a call to translate research meaningfully into care. He emphasised that communities must be strengthened by knowledge and support, and that policies should be inclusive, equitable and fair.
You can find a detailed programme from the conference on Alzheimer’s Europe website.
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By Prof Jan Oyebode, Deputy Director of DeNPRU Exeter.