Brain Health

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Today there are over 1 billion older adults globally, and by 2030 it is estimated that 1 in 6 persons will be over the age of 60 years. As the global population ages, brain health, particularly dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, has emerged as a critical priority. While the development of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias is not a normal part of ageing, the prevalence of this collection of diseases does increase with age.

People with dementia can live dignified lives but as their disease progresses, they increasingly rely on others to exercise their autonomy. Echoing the mandate of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (‘the Decade’), the IFA is dedicated to advocating for brain health protection and healthy ageing across the life course, ensuring prevention and care throughout all stages of life and dementia. Further, the IFA advocates for helping maintain and increase the functional ability of older adults through policy and practice change, which in the context of dementia must include robust and meaningful engagement and incorporation of the voices and perspectives of those supporting and providing care

POLICY POSITIONS:

The IFA’s brain health portfolio aims to leverage its global reach and intersectoral approach to position dementia not as an inevitable fate but as a preventable, manageable condition. By embedding the IFA’s work within the Decade of Healthy Ageing and focusing on emerging intersections from sensory health, NCDs to climate resilience, the IFA seeks to drive system-level change to strengthen healthy ageing across the life-course and improve quality of life for older persons and their caregivers worldwide.