National Dementia Conference
Addressing the Critical Issues in Dementia Research, Treatment & Care
28 – 29 April 2026 | Crown Conference Centre Melbourne
Returning for its 17th year, the National Dementia Conference 2026 will once again unite leading experts, individuals with lived experiences, carers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to share insights and drive advancements in dementia care, diagnosis, and treatment.
Building on its legacy, this event remains a premier platform to explore best-practice strategies, address challenges, and highlight innovative initiatives aimed at delivering high-quality, person-centered care for people living with dementia and their carers.
The conference fosters collaboration, offering a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, build meaningful connections, and strengthen a shared commitment to improving the lives of those affected by dementia.
KEY TOPICS INCLUDE
- Navigating the New Aged Care Act
- Telehealth and early dementia diagnosis
- Exploring spectrum of Dementia
- Innovations in Dementia care and support
- Person-centered approaches in dementia care
- New frontiers in Alzheimer’s Treatment: Donanemab and Lecanemab
- Role of pharmacists in dementia care
- Palliative / End-of-Life Care
- Dementia caregivers support
- Challenges of accessing services when living with dementia
Co-located with:
💡 Aged Care Reform Forum
One pass gives you access to two conferences!
You will have the flexibility to pick and choose your preferred sessions and tailor your experience to your needs. You’ll also have access to shared networking opportunities and the exhibition space, allowing you to connect with professionals from both the dementia and aged care sectors.
2026 SPEAKERS
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PARTNERS
Feature Interview
Insights
How to manage Down syndrome and dementia
People with Down syndrome are living longer, healthier lives. Since the 1940s, life expectancy for people with this chromosomal condition has increased fivefold from just 12 to 60 years; and today, babies born with Down syndrome may live up to 80.
Why Australia needs dementia friendly ambulances
Transport by ambulance can be a distressing experience for people with dementia. Noisy, enclosed, and unfamiliar, the environment can exacerbate symptoms, destabilise a person’s psychological health and, in severe cases, cause delirium.
Beyond the amyloid hypothesis - how small molecules are giving hope to Alzheimer’s research
Ever since it was discovered in 1906, scientists have been rushing to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease – a form of dementia that affects 1 in 10 Australians aged over 65.
How to manage incontinence in dementia
Incontinence is one of the most common health complaints among people living with dementia, affecting around one third of sufferers.
Thriving with dementia - how this man reinvented himself after an Alzheimer's diagnosis
When renowned Dementia advocate William Yeates received his Alzheimer’s diagnosis at just 59 years of age, he entered a dark period of his life.
How to better care for people living with dementia
Dementia is one of Australia’s most widespread and impactful health conditions, directly affecting almost two thirds of aged-care residents. Whether managing prodromal symptoms, or a more progressive stage of cognitive impairment, the consequences of poor dementia care can be significant.
Should you keep someone living with Dementia in an aged care facility during a pandemic?
For relatives or carers of people living with Dementia, this decision has been more challenging. Will their loved one get the care they need without the constant watch of professionals? Will they be safe living in a non-clinical environment?
Australian Journal of Dementia Care complimentary issue for delegates
Craig Gear OAM: "The New Human Rights-Based Aged Care Act Will Form the Bedrock of Change."
The aged care sector is built for older people, so it should proactively take its direction from them. As my fellow panel members continue to tell me: “Nothing about us…without us!”
Co-design and person-centred care keep me, as a clinician researcher, accountable to those I am to serve
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has catalysed sector-wide debate on how to successfully implement reforms that will improve the lives of older Australians. Dr Anita Goh, one of Australia’s leading authorities on quality of life in ageing, says that co-designing care delivery with the people who will actually benefit from services is essential to meaningful change.
What does dementia feel like?
In Australia 342,000 people are living with Dementia – a pervasive collection of symptoms including memory loss, confusion and apathy.
A new therapeutic for Alzheimer’s is imminent – what is it and what will it mean?
An ageing population could see global cases of dementia and its major form Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) almost double every twenty years.
2026 EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
WHEN & WHERE
05 - 06 May 2026
Crown Promenade Melbourne
8 Whiteman Street
SOUTHBANK VIC 3006
(Queensbridge St end of Crown Complex)
(03) 9292 8888