We are pleased to announce that the membership of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) has been renewed and that the new incarnation of the group officially began its mandate after the Annual General Meeting of Alzheimer Europe (30 June 2026).
The EWGPWD was launched by Alzheimer Europe and its member associations in 2012. The group is composed entirely of people with dementia who are nominated by their national Alzheimer associations. They work to ensure that the activities, projects and meetings of Alzheimer Europe duly reflect the priorities and views of people with dementia. The group operates independently and members elect their own Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. The Chairperson is also an ex-officio member on the Board of Alzheimer Europe, with full voting rights.
As of 13 July, The group has also voted in its Executive members (Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson), both of whom remain unchanged for the new mandate. Congratulations to Kevin Quaid (Ireland) and Gerda Van Tongerloo (Netherlands) for retaining their positions as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, respectively.
The EWGPWD is now composed of the following 13 members:
Kevin Quaid, Ireland - Chairperson
Gerda Van Tongerloo, Netherlands - Vice- Chairperson
Stuart Dougall, United Kingdom - Scotland
Kjell Ehn, Sweden
Jan Runar Eliassen, Norway
Hafsteinn Ágúst Friðfinnsson, Iceland
Katya Genadieva, Bulgaria
Jost Hamschmidt, Switzerland
Lieselotte Klotz, Germany
Angela Pototschnigg, Austria
Jari Puranen, Finland - New member
Shelagh Robinson, United Kingdom - England
Věra Ryšavá, Czechia
Alzheimer Europe would like to welcome new member Jari Puranen (Finland) and to express its gratitude to outgoing EWGPWD members Phillip Angrave (United Kingdom - England), Erla Jónsdóttir (Iceland) and Minna Kinnunen (Finland) for their important contributions. They will be sorely missed!
You can find out more about the group and its members, here: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/about-us/european-working-group-people-dementia
