A German language version of Alzheimer Europe's guide to help raise awareness of issues around sex, gender and sexuality in dementia has been published, as has a translation into French language for the Luxembourg context.
The original English language version, Sex, Gender and Sexuality in the Context of Dementia: A guide to raise awareness amongst health and social care workers was written by Alzheimer Europe in 2022 (published in January 2023) and is based on the ethics report Sex, gender and sexuality in the context of dementia: a discussion paper, published by Alzheimer Europe in December 2021.
The guide is about the experience and wellbeing of men, women and non-binary people with dementia who are living alone or with a partner and who may or may not be sexually active. We draw attention to inequality, discrimination and lack of sensitivity towards their needs and wishes, both from other people and through structures and procedures within society, also towards their families, carers and in some cases health and social care workers. The guide is not limited to the experience of LGBTQ+ people, but their experience is often qualitatively different to that of non-LGBTQ+ people, and they encounter several issues that others do not, hence the frequent reference to this group in the guide.
We would like to thank the authors of the original English language version: Dianne Gove, Committee Chair (Luxembourg), Simone Anna Felding (Denmark), Aileen Beatty (United Kingdom), Andrea Capstick (United Kingdom), Jean Georges (Luxembourg), Helga Rohra (Germany), Anthony Scerri (Malta), Charles Scerri (Malta), Annemarie Schumacher Dimech (Switzerland) and Karin Westerlund (Sweden). We would also like to thank the following individuals who contributed to the original report: Patrick Ettenes (United Kingdom), Fabrice Gzil (France), Phil Harper (United Kingdom) and Linn Sandberg (Sweden).
German version
The German language version of Alzheimer Europe's guide to help raise awareness of issues around sex, gender and sexuality in dementia, titled "Geschlecht, Gender und Sexualität im Kontext von Demenz: Sensibilisierungsleitfaden für Fachkräft e im Gesundheitsund Sozialwesen" was translated by our national member associations in Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, respectively Alzheimer Austria, Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft e.V. (DAlzG), Association Luxembourg Alzheimer (ALA) and Alzheimer Schweiz Suisse Svizzera (Alzheimer Switzerland).
Special thanks go to Susanna Saxl-Reisen (DAlzG), Chiara Melchior (ALA), Stefanie Becker (Alzheimer Switzerland), and Antonia Croy (Alzheimer Austria) for translating the guide into German. We would also like to thank Lukas Duffner from Alzheimer Europe for helping to harmonise the different translations.
Finally, we thank the organisation CESAS (Centre national de référence pour la promotion de la santé affective et sexuelle) in Luxembourg for funding the design and for their professional support in the field of LGBTQIA* terminology.
The new German version of the guide can be downloaded from the Alzheimer Europe website, at: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/resources/publications/geschlecht-gender-und-sexualitat-im-kontext-von-demenz
French version
There French language edition, "Sexe, genre et sexualité dans le contexte de la maladie d’Alzheimer et des maladies apparentées : Guide de sensibilisation à l’attention des professionnels de santé et du secteur médico-social" is available in two versions - one provided by France Alzheimer for the French context (September 2025) and the other by Association Luxembourg Alzheimer for the Luxembourg context (March 2026).
A big thank you to Lorène Gilly and Chiara Melchior, from France Alzheimer and Association Luxembourg Alzheimer respectively, for their work in translating the guide into French. We would also like to thank CESAS for contributing to the layout costs and, together with Maud Théobald from the Centre LGBTIQ+ Cigale, for providing expertise on LGBTQIA+ terminology.
Both French versions can be downloaded from the Alzheimer Europe website, at: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/resources/publications/sexe-genre-et-sexualite-dans-le-contexte-de-la-maladie-dalzheimer-et-des
