On 2 June 2026, a unique roundtable discussion on dementia took place under the chairmanship of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, at the Royal Palace in Brussels (Belgium). The discussions centred on the theme of “Maintaining Connections with the Shadow Persons of Dementia and Strengthening Informal Care”. The roundtable brought together Alzheimer organisations, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, artists, people living with dementia and informal caregivers.
The message was unequivocal: dementia is not merely a medical condition, but above all a societal challenge and responding effectively therefore requires collaboration across disciplines, sectors and communities. Whilst the search for effective treatments must continue, participants discussed the importance of also investing in what already makes a difference today: evidence-based psychosocial interventions, the prevention of dementia, and communities that foster understanding, inclusion and human connection. Taking a balanced approach can offer a more realistic way forward for people living with dementia, their families and wider society.
Alzheimer Europe was delighted and honoured to have a seat at the table and was represented by Deputy Executive Director Angela Bradshaw. She placed the discussion within a broader European policy context, stressing that dementia represents one of the most urgent public health challenges in Europe. Prevalence is expected to nearly double by 2050, placing increasing pressure on health and social care systems across all Member States. She also emphasised that collaborative networks are indispensable to accelerate innovation, deepen understanding of social and relational determinants and improve the quality of life of those affected, while simultaneously preventing structural overload of care systems. Such collaborative networks, however, must not only engage clinicians, researchers and policymakers, but also actively involve people with lived experience, ensuring their roles, needs and lived realities are fully recognised.
Other participants at the roundtable included researcher Kasper Bormans (who was responsible, together with the conceptual artist Unik-ID, for the creationg of the exhibition The Memory Palace), Sabine Henry (LINAL – National Alzheimer League), Peter Van Houtven (Alzheimer Liga Vlaanderen), Christiane Gathoye (care partner), Philippe Paquay (person living with Alzheimer’s disease), Professor Manu Keirse (KU Leuven), Professor Sebastiaan Engelborghs (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Sven Unik-ID, Lydie Amici (Collectif Auguste et les autres), Alessandra Clavello, Director of the nursing home Foyer de la Providence (ACIS asbl), and Pedro Facon, CEO of the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV-INAMI). Their discussions were preceded by a heartfelt performance by De Betties, the intergenerational choir of Huis Perrekes (internationally acclaimed residential care centre for people with dementia, located in Oosterlo, Geel, Belgium).
This event formed part of the Royal Palace’s broader commitment to communicating the importance of creating a dementia-friendly society and preceded the opening of the exhibition “The Royal Palace as a Memory Palace” in the historic Mirror Room of The Royal Palace in Belgium.
Photo credit: Aya Boujida / Memory Palace
