In an effort to enhance the research development of dementia prevention and treatment, as well as to promote the academic exchanges and collaborations among the Asia Pacific regions, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and Macau Alzheimer’s Disease Association (MADA) co-organized the “16th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International” on 14 December 2013 at World Trade Center Macau, in collaboration with Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau (KWNC) and Hong Kong Alzheimer’s Disease Association (HKADA). The Conference, themed “Capacity Building in Dementia Care”, introduced the latest updates on dementia diagnosis and treatment, dementia care in Asia and day care centre’s assistance in alleviating the burden of family caregivers. President of MADA Mr. Patrick Huen believed that the Conference will greatly benefit the meeting delegates and raise public awareness of the global issues of dementia. Moreover, being held in Macau for the first time, it will help boost MADA’s role in bridging the Pearl River Delta regions of China and the rest of the world.

A number of government officials and representatives of public institutions and community associations were invited to officiate at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference, including Mr. Iong Kong Io, Representative of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR and Director of Social Welfare Bureau of Macao SAR Government, Mr. Zhang Xiaoguang, Deputy Director of Department of Education and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macao SAR, Mr. Leong Heng Teng, Spokesperson of the Executive Council of Macao SAR, Dr. Ng Hou, Representative of Health Bureau of Macao SAR Government and Medical Director of Conde de Sao Januario Central Hospital of Macao, Mr. Au Weng Chi, Member of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation, Dr. Jacob Roy, Chairman of ADI, Dr. Jimmy Wu, Chairman of HKADA, Mr. Patrick Huen, President of MADA, Ms. Diana Iong, Chair of Board of Supervisors of MADA, Professor Florence Van, President of KWNC, and Dr. Bill Zeng, Associate Professor of KWNC.

In his speech, Director Iong Kong Io expressed that, as Macao’s ageing population increases continuously, dementia has drawn great attention both locally and internationally. In recent years, the Macao SAR Government has been actively promoting dementia education among the community, developing service schemes and talent nurture programmes, and offering appropriate care and support to dementia patients and their family members. Furthermore, according to the future needs, it will pool more resources to improve the conditions of elderly service institutions and enhance the quality of care given by nursing personnel.

President Patrick Huen indicated that, since MADA’s establishment in 2010, it has been committed to organizing academic researches, conferences, training and education activities to increase public awareness of dementia. Moreover, it has been striving to work in concert with the policy direction of the Macao SAR Government in terms of dementia prevention and treatment. MADA’s effort was recognized when it was admitted into ADI in April 2013. He wished that, after the Conference, all meeting delegates will make good use of the MADA platform to continue conducting researches, education and publicity concerning dementia.

In the conclusion of the Conference, Dr. Bill Zeng noted that KWNC and MADA have been making joint effort to promote dementia education by organizing lectures and caregiver training workshops regularly under the “Benevolence Lights up my Later Life” programme of KWNC. In addition, a memory clinic and dementia service helpline have been set up recently to provide more dementia-related information and support to the local community.

The Conference brought together a number of world-renowned experts and scholars to share research findings and experience of dementia diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care. The keynote speakers included Dr. Jacob Roy, Chairman of ADI, Professor Henry Brodaty, Scientia Professor of the University of New South Wales of Australia, Professor Lynn Chenoweth of the University of Technology, Sydney of Australia, Professor Stefano Cappa of the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Italy, Dr. Solomon Chang, Senior Psychiatrist of Conde de Sao Januario Central Hospital of Macao, and Dr. Bill Zeng, Associate Professor of KWNC, etc. On that day, more than 400 elderly care professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists from 16 countries such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Singapore and South Korea, as well as Macao and the Pearl River Delta regions took part in the Conference. Aiming at strengthening meeting delegates’ physical and mental health, on the day after the Conference, the organizers held a “Memory Walk” in which meeting delegates from Macao, the Pearl River Delta regions, Singapore and Australia, etc. went on a local sightseeing tour and paid visits to some of Macao’s world heritage sites such as A-Ma Temple and Lilau Square.