INTERDEM is a network of researchers interested in psychosocial interventions. It is made up of 221 researchers and academics with different professional disciplines, spread across 21 countries (19 of which are in Europe). The INTERDEM network held its Annual Meeting in Bucharest, on 17 October 2022, just prior to the 32nd Alzheimer Europe Conference (32AEC), with 99 researchers attending. The meeting kicked off with a welcome from INTERDEM Chairperson Marjolein de Vugt to all researchers present. The “Interdem Manifesto: Future Perspectives” was also presented. The first session of the meeting, following this introduction, was a business meeting, which gave an introduction to new members and looked back at some highlights from the past year, and at the network’s website, as well as giving an update on projects and an introduction to a new task force initiative.
Research collaboration and future calls were also discussed. In the second part of the meeting, breakout rooms were used for presentations and discussions by the participants, who shared news of their ongoing research activities, and had the opportunity to give and receive feedback, as well as exploring opportunities for further collaboration. After a break, the meeting continued with the task force sharing an update on its activities and future actions and then the INTERDEM Academy Award was presented, with a shared first place for Hannah Christie and Jeroen Bruinsma and in second place, Cara Sass. The INTERDEM Academy aims to promote the career development and capacity building of dementia care researchers and supports their pathway to senior academic posts in the field. Chairperson Marjolein de Vugt congratulated the winners, before ending the session. Alzheimer Europe is proud to be a key partner of INTERDEM and was represented at the INTERDEM Annual Meeting by Director for Projects Dianne Gove and Project Officer Ana Diaz.