The Conference will organise an exchange of information and best practices on key aspects of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing in the fields of Integrated care, Prevention, Dementia friendly society and Innovative solutions.

The Conference is also in line with the areas singled out in the Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer`s disease for greater EU collaboration, namely 1. Acting early to diagnose dementia, 2. A shared European effort in research, 3. National solidarity and exchange of best care practices, 4. Respecting the rights of people with dementia.

In order to support the actions outlined in the Innovation Partnership and the Commission Communication, the 23rd AE Conference will focus on these four priorities and organise an exchange of information, experiences, projects and best practices in the following areas:
1. Integrated care (Post diagnostic support, care in the community, carer training, residential care), 2. Prevention (Preventing dementia, behavioural problems, carer burnout and hospitalisation), 3. Dementia friendly society (Dementia friendly communities, Dementia strategies, Perceptions and image of dementia, Ethical and legal aspects), 4. Innovative solutions (Assistive technologies, dementia and the arts, new psychosocial approaches, involvement of people with dementia).

In all areas, AE will identify keynote speakers to provide state of the art presentations on the current knowledge and understanding, whilst inviting presenters to submit abstracts on ongoing and recently finalised research, projects and experiences.

In addition, AE will collaborate with EU funded initiatives to share the progress and results of research initiatives of programmes and projects like the Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Disease, the Joint Action (ALCOVE-Alzheimer COoperation and Valuation in Europe), projects supported under the FP7 and AAL Programmes and by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (PharmaCog).
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The Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer`s disease ingled out four main areas for greater EU collaboration:
1. Acting early to diagnose dementia,
2. A shared European effort in research,
3. National solidarity and exchange of best care practices,
4. Respecting the rights of people with dementia.

In order to support the actions outlined in the Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer`s disease and other dementias, the 22nd AE Conference will focus on these four priorities and organise an exchange of information, experiences, projects and best practices in the following areas:
1. Medical and scientific update (early diagnosis, prevention, epidemiology)
2. Social and care aspects (psycho-social interventions, care services, stigma and discrimination, integration of Alzheimer`s disease in mental health promotion activities)
3. Legal and ethical issues (guardianship systems, consent, advance directives, patients` rights)
4. Dementia strategies and policies (public health impact of dementia, national plans, financing of care, carer support measures, image of dementia).

In all areas, AE will identify key note speakers to provide state of the art presentations on the current knowledge and understanding, whilst inviting presenters to submit abstracts on ongoing and recently finalised research, projects and experiences.

In addition, AE will collaborate with EU funded initiatives to share the progress and results of research initiatives of programmes and projects like the Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Disease, the Joint Action (ALCOVE-Alzheimer COoperation and Valuation in Europe), projects supported under the FP7 and AAL Programmes and by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (PharmaCog).


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The specific objectives of the conference are to:
1. Promote successful mental health prevention/promotion policies and programmes as evidenced through the various European collaborative projects and to facilitate their implementation in particular in new Member States;
2. Strengthen national and local capacities for mental health prevention/promotion by sharing resources and mainstreaming mental health prevention/promotion into all relevant policy domains at EU and national level;
3. Enhance the involvement of civil society, private sector and academia stakeholders, and foster sustainable and collaborative commitments as regards actions for mental health prevention/promotion;

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The EU Patients Rights Day offers an excellent opportunity to highlight that citizens should be at the center of the health agenda.

The core values of EU health policy are ensuring citizens` empowerment, reducing inequalities in health and using scientific evidence to drive policy. These values are also supported by EU health ministers, who agreed on a list of overarching values in EU healthcare systems in June 2006. These values encompass 11 of the 14 of the patients rights in the European Charter drafted by citizens demonstrating that Ministers of Health, citizens and EU institutions share the same vision of healthcare. Therefore, we should reflect even more on how these shared goals to promote patients rights are translated into action. The challenge is now turning this value-based vision of health policy and healthcare systems into a tangible reality.

As the former Health Commissioner Vassiliou mentioned in her speech during the 3rd EU Patients` Rights Day conference organized by ACN last year, we must do more than just set up principles we must also come up with concrete measures to make real improvements in practice. I agree on the importance of safeguarding patients` rights, despite the growing complexity of healthcare and we all have a role to play in this area. It is occasions such as EU Patients` Rights Day that remind us of this fact, and help us come together to help put words into action.
The main objectives
1. To bring together a wide range of stakeholders throughout Europe to reflect on what is currently being done regarding patients` rights and identify concrete EU actions that can be taken on by all stakeholders.
2. Increase awareness and information on the actual situation of patients` rights at EU and national level.
3. Collect and share good practices on the involvement of citizens and patients in health policy and the implementation of patients` rights.
4. Disseminate results of the EU conference with stakeholders at national level and propose concrete actions can then be evaluate in the next 6th EU Patients` Rights Day
5. Integrate the EU Patients` Rights Day in the context of the EU Year of Vountary activities
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