In March, ADI’s Research and Policy Project Lead Wendy Weidner and Honorary Vice President Dr Nori Graham travelled to South Africa for the annual STRiDE (Strengthening responses to dementia in developing countries) stakeholder meeting and training workshop in Cape Town.
STRiDE is a research project funded by the Research Council UK (RCUK) and led by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at London School of Economics (LSE), in partnership with ADI, Dementia Alliance International (DAI) and the Universities of Sussex and Cape Town. The project aims to help improve dementia care, treatment and support in seven lower-middle income countries (Brazil, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico and South Africa) by strengthening capacity to generate and use research to support policies - especially the development of national dementia plans - to improve dementia care for people with dementia and their families.
The meeting was a great success and provided an important opportunity for cross-learning and knowledge exchange.
Researchers and Alzheimer associations provided country updates and progress on project work packages. Wendy Weidner gave an update on Work Package 8, speaking on the importance of collaborative work between Alzheimer associations and researchers in each of the country STRiDE teams. Their joint-working will pave the way for using STRiDE’s research findings to recommend policy for developing national dementia plans tailored to the unique culture and demographics of each country.
Attendees came from over 20 countries and included people living with dementia and their care partners, researchers, representatives from the WHO South Africa, South Africa Human Rights Commission, Ministries of Social Development and Health, the South African Older Persons Network, and civil society.
Find out more about STRiDE here.
Pictured:STRiDE meeting: (L-R) Elizabeth Kasimu Mutunga (Kenya), Tara Puspitarini Sani (Indonesia), Petra Du Toit (South Africa), Elaine Mateus (Brazil), Narendhar Ramasamy (India), Rosa Farres (Mexico), Rochelle Amour (Jamaica), Anji Mehta (London School of Economics).
