World Alzheimer Report 2025 highlights important role of frontline services

The latest Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) World Alzheimer Report shines a light on rehabilitation in dementia mate wareware care.

Whilst rehabilitation is often structured, goal-oriented and delivered by specialist teams, much of what’s discussed in the report also reflects the good practice of enablement.

Enablement focuses on helping people maintain or regain everyday abilities in familiar environments through small, meaningful actions embedded in daily life. It’s less about formal programmes and more about creating conditions for independence, confidence and participation.

For people with dementia mate wareware, enablement is about maintaining and often improving both physical and cognitive function to help improve overall quality of life.

And frontline community-based services continue to play a critical part. These services are often provided around the country by local Alzheimers and Dementia organisations.

This new research makes a strong case for investment in these services.

I’ve already outlined some insights from this research in a previous blog, where I’ve highlighted some practical steps forward for enablement:

• Start with what’s strong not what’s wrong
• Small changes in terms of environmental enablement can make a big impact
• Addressing stigma and creating environments where people feel safe to try, fail, and try again
• Effective routine-building requires flexibility to adjust expectations on difficult days and the wisdom to know when to step back
• Therapeutic and practical tools – like memory books – can have benefits can be seamlessly integrated into routine care
• Enablement starts with motivation — what matters most to the person
• Enablement principles must be embedded across the entire care workforce

These are quick wins that require attitude shifts rather than additional resources and gradually build capability for more comprehensive approaches.

Community support

People living with dementia mate wareware are often living in their homes and in their communities.

Community-based dementia services provide non-pharmacological support to help people remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.

The enablement happens when they’re at their local café and having to enter their pin number, or when they’re teaming up with local artists as part of a therapeutic project.

The evidence is compelling.

The goal isn’t perfection it’s progress toward a system where every interaction either maintains or enhances a person’s capacity for independence, dignity, and joy.

And a critical link are our local frontline services.

Reach out to the Dementia Learning Centre today to continue this conversation.