HOMEDEM Training School 5
Advancing Dementia Research, Policy, and Care
From 19–23 May 2025, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and advocates came together in Galway, Ireland, for HOMEDEM Training School 5. Hosted at the University of Galway’s ILAS building, this week-long event combined advanced training for doctoral candidates with public sessions that opened the conversation to a broader audience.
The Training School showcased HOMEDEM’s mission: bridging research, innovation, and policy to improve dementia care across Europe. Sessions covered methods, ethics, policy dialogue, and impact strategies, while also providing unique opportunities for doctoral researchers to engage with international experts.
Highlights from the Public Programme
The midweek public sessions were a standout feature, bringing international expertise and lived experience into the discussion:
Day 3 – Wednesday, 21 May
Dementia care: lessons from Australia
Prof. Brenda Gannon (University of Queensland), Prof. Kaarin Anstey (University of New South Wales), Mr. Bill Yeates (Lived Experience Advocate)
Watch the lecture on YouTube → (update soon)Home, universal design and dementia
Mr. Thomas Grey (Trinity Haus), Discussant: Dr. Suzanne Cahill
Watch the lecture on YouTube → (update soon)Panel: The future of care for people with dementia
Prof. Michelle Canavan, Prof. Kieran Walsh, Mr. Andy Heffernan, Dr. Duygu Sezgin, chaired by Prof. Eamon O’Shea
Watch the panel on YouTube → (update soon)
Day 4 – Thursday, 22 May
Reimagining home care for older people
Dr. Brendan Walsh (Economic and Social Research Institute), Discussant: Dr. Helen Rochford-Brennan
Watch the lecture on YouTube → (update soon)Technology and dementia
Prof. Martin Orrell (University of Nottingham)
Watch the lecture on YouTube → (update soon)
Looking Ahead
HOMEDEM Training School 5 highlighted the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in shaping dementia care. By integrating perspectives from economics, health policy, design, lived experience, and clinical practice, the event advanced not only academic knowledge but also practical solutions for people living with dementia and their families.
