Dementia plans

Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) supports the creation of high-level plans to deal with the large and growing impact of dementia worldwide. 48 countries and territories have adopted a plan on dementia, including 39 WHO Member States.

Please note that this page is in the process of being updated.

National dementia plans

Unlike international initiatives, national plans are capable of addressing dementia issues in a way tailored to the unique culture and demographics of each country. The WHO Global plan on dementia urges that governments should develop national policies on dementia by 2025.

A comprehensive government plan to address the needs of people with dementia can provide a mechanism to consider a range of issues including promoting public awareness of dementia and improving the quality of health care, social care and long-term care support and services for people living with dementia and their families.

Below you can find a list of national dementia plans, examples of sub-national plans and non-governmental plans.

Sub-national and other dementia plans

In many countries, sub-national or other plans by region, province, state or canton are also in development.  Many national governments are increasingly decentralising to their sub national units for health care and public health planning and these  are the most appropriate level of government to strategically meet the growing needs of people with dementia and their families and increases potential for impact. TADA Chinese Taipei and Macau SAR are listed under ‘other’.

Belgium

  • Flanders 2016-2019
  • Wallonia

Germany

  • Bavaria
  • Saarland

Switzerland (National plan 2014-2019)

  • Canton of Geneva 2016
  • Canton of Vaud 2010

Non-governmental dementia strategies

Non-governmental strategies are generated by private non-governmental groups that can serve as the case statement to persuade governments to create a national or sub national governmental plan.

Action in Europe

Alzheimer Europe and associations in Europe have achieved policy action across the continent. You can see a review of National dementia strategies and policies in Europe in the Alzheimer Europe ‘European Dementia Monitor‘ (2017).

Action in the Americas

The Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) published the first Regional Plan of Action on Dementia in October 2015.

The PAHO Regional Plan of Action on Dementia obliges countries to develop national dementia plans, including the promotion of risk reduction strategies through public health programmes, ensuring a rights-based approach to the provision of care and support for people living with dementia and better training for health professionals, as well as more funding for research.

ADI has several reports on national plan development, including our From Plan to Impact reports, which provide a an important update each year on the progress towards the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025.

National Alzheimer Strategies

Making dementia a public health priority

The WHO's Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025 was adopted in May 2017 and includes seven targets for increased policy, awareness, prevention and diagnosis, research, care and treatment of dementia. The first target, 'Dementia as a public health priority' urges that 75% of Member States (146 countries) must develop a tailored response to dementia by 2025.

WHO Global Action Plan on dementia

The global plan aims to improve the lives of people with dementia, their families and the people who care for them, while decreasing the impact of dementia on communities and countries. Read More

From Plan to Impact IV

This is the fourth From Plan to Impact report. It provides a crucial update on the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025. Read More