From 29 September to 1 October 2022, the 11th Congress of the German Alzheimer Association - Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft (DAlzG) took place in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. The conference theme for 2022 was "Dementia: Daring new ways". More than 600 people living with dementia, informal and formal carers, staff and volunteers of local Alzheimer associations, healthcare professionals, and other interested parties, participated in the congress. It contained a wide range of topics, like: support in nursing care counselling, how to create attention and provide education in society to enable more participation for people with dementia, giving a voice to younger people with dementia, how to realise participation of people with dementia within research projects, and many more. During the congress, research funding of about EUR 400,000 was awarded, for six projects aiming to improve the medical and nursing care of people with dementia.
The DAlzG research funding is awarded every two years and the funds come from earmarked donations which are intended to support research into the care of people with dementia and their carers. About EUR 350,000 was awarded to three projects in the fields of basic research for people with dementia, by the Förderstiftung Dierichs foundation. One of the most moving moments during the event, was in the opening ceremony, when the six members of the advisory board "Leben mit Demenz" (Living with dementia) of the DAlzG talked about their own experience of dementia, how it changed their lives and what is important for them. Moreover, the advisory board members expressed that they were honoured to do this work. The next, 12th Congress will take place from 10 to 12 October 2024, in Fürth, Germany.
