In Cologne (Germany), on 22 October 2025, a “fireside chat” was organised by Gesundheitsregion KölnBonn e.V. took place at the Cologne offices of KPMG AG WPG. The event was attended by more than 80 people from the local healthcare Industry and dementia care sector. The focus was on the topic of “The future of dementia care – digitalisation, early detection and new therapies in focus” which was discussed from the perspective of health policy and practical care and included not only the clinical perspective but also the perspective of those affected.
The evening was moderated by Sabine Heinrich (journalist and presenter), who guided the guests knowledgeably through the programme. In his political assessment, Dr Georg Kippels (Member of the German Parliament, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Health) emphasised the importance of an integrated care approach and said that dementia must be understood more strongly as a task for society as a whole in the future.
In the subsequent specialist lecture, Professor Frank Jessen (Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Cologne University Hospital) explained the current state of research and care. In his presentation, he introduced, among other things, the Alzheimer's Guideline-Compliant Early Diagnosis in Cologne (ALFie) initiative. In the subsequent high-profile panel discussion, the topics of prevention, early detection, digitalisation and cross-sector care were discussed. From the various perspectives of the discussion participants, a consensus emerged that coordinated interaction between politics, science, care and civil society is necessary in order to make dementia care sustainable for the future. With digital platform and networking solutions such as ALFie, the process of diagnosis and appropriate follow-up care can be effectively accelerated. You can read the full report of the meeting (in German), here:
https://health-region.de/pressemitteilung-demenz-im-fokus-zwischen-medizin-politik-und-gesellschaft/