NCD Alliance is in Budapest, Hungary this week between 21st to 24th April for Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) 31st International Conference.

The conference theme this year is "Dementia - Global Perspectives, Local Solutions". 

In addition to the core programme of the conference, supporters of the NCD Alliance have organised two sessions of the The NCD Dialogues, which will take place on Friday 22 April. These will provide an open environment for dynamic and interactive discussions on two key issues: end of life care, and prevention and early diagnosis. 

For more information on the proceedings of the 31st International Conference of ADI, visit the conference website and follow live tweeting using the hashtag #ADI2016.

NCD Dialogues

Session 1: End of Life Care for People with Dementia and NCDs – Getting it Right

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are typically chronic conditions which require particular care towards the end of life. The World Health Organization estimates that 40 million people are in need of palliative care each year – but that 86% do not receive it. The greatest gaps can be observed in developing country settings.

Once implemented, it is imperative that end of life care services are holistic, extending far beyond physical treatment. The need for proper psychological and spiritual support for the person at the centre of the care, and for those around them, cannot be underestimated.

Objectives:

• To examine the multiple facets of end of life care through a holistic lens
• To emphasise the need to empower people living with dementia and NCDs, and their carers, to shape end of life care
• To promote the significance of the adoption of the 67th World Health Assembly Resolution on Palliative Care and explore policy options to improve palliation worldwide

Session 2: Good for the Heart, Good for the Brain: Prevention and Early Diagnosis for Dementia and NCDs

Dementia and NCDs are collectively driven by the same shared risk factors and social determinants. Evidence for how tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet and alcohol consumption is growing ever stronger, supporting the need to incorporate mental and neurological health into the global NCD response.

Workplace wellness schemes offer one particular example for effective prevention of NCDs, while timely diagnosis can have a dramatic impact on outcomes. Furthermore, social determinants dramatically influence the burden of NCDs, and must be addressed as part of a comprehensive response.

Objectives:

• To examine the evidence for shared risk factors and social determinants across dementia and other NCDs, implications for co-morbidities
• To affirm the rationale of a comprehensive and integrated response to the prevention and care for dementia and other NCDs
• To demonstrate solutions across policy and practice to minimise exposure to these risk factors, with a particular focus on workplace wellness and early intervention and behaviour change through timely diagnosis