This year’s Alzheimer Europe Conference in Bologna marked my second time participating, and it was once again an inspiring and enriching experience. The European Dementia Carers Working Group (EDCWG) meetings began early, offering a valuable opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and exchange ideas. On the first day, just before the start of the parallel sessions, my FOMO (fear of missing out) peaked.
I wear multiple hats:
• As a member of the Turkish Alzheimer Association, I follow advocacy and policy sessions closely
• As a care partner, I am drawn to therapy-related discussions
• And as the daughter of a person living with dementia, I am deeply interested in early diagnosis and risk assessment.
Fortunately, my niece (who lives in Milan) joined me, and together we divided the sessions so we could cover more ground. That is my key advice for anyone planning to attend the 36th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Dublin (27–29 October 2026): make it a shared experience. Invite family members, colleagues, or friends to join you. The Irish have done remarkable work in advocacy, policy, research, and Public Involvement, and I look forward to learning more about it next year. Throughout the conference, I met new researchers and professionals from different countries and expanded my professional network. I especially appreciated the chance to approach experts directly and discuss my questions in a one-to-one format, my favourite way to learn. The conference concluded with a heartwarming concert by Ologramma Argento, a choral group of older adults (65+) from the Emilia-Romagna region, known for their commitment to inclusion, memory, and community engagement. Even though I do not speak Italian, I found myself joining in the chorus of Volare and ’O Sole Mio. It was an uplifting and deeply moving experience that demonstrated the therapeutic power of music. The performance ended with a well-deserved standing ovation for Ologramma Argento.
Check out the youtube links below for some excerpts from the concert:
'O Sole mio: https://youtu.be/weYsle4VMfA?si=_56XMQdJWxUg9Uiy
Con te partiró: https://youtu.be/YZTE_VJDSJQ?si=yPR91lZHb6-zbtCu
Nessun dorma: https://youtu.be/o83bZemNO3E?si=eZquceh52mC2YQiJ
La nostra favola: https://youtu.be/jXhimkbd1fQ?si=0fUvMSzMN1GGG8vh