Advancing Dementia Inclusion: A Collaborative Convening
April 22–23 | Washington, DC
The question of why we continue to segregate individuals living with dementia into separate dementia care units challenges our collective commitment to dignity, autonomy, and inclusion. Is there a better way—one that is less restrictive and more empowering—for individuals with varying cognitive abilities to remain fully engaged members of their residential communities?
Join us April 22–23
As the prevalence of dementia continues to rise alongside our aging population, it is increasingly important to explore and elevate approaches that recognize the full humanity of those experiencing cognitive change. This includes moving beyond the traditional reliance on separate specialty care units towards person-centered practices that integrate people living with dementia throughout residential communities.
To address this growing need, LeadingAge is hosting an invitation-only event designed to:
- Foster collaboration and a deeper sense of purpose among providers, partners, and stakeholders.
- Envision the future of dementia care in residential settings through shared learning and collective insight.
- Share scalable, promising practices for broad adoption and dissemination.
- Highlight innovative strategies to expand opportunities for individuals living with dementia to thrive.
Structure and Approach
The convening is designed as a highly interactive and participatory event ensuring every participant plays an active role in shaping the conversation and outcomes.
Curated materials and reflection prompts will be provided prior to the event to help you arrive grounded, ready to engage in meaningful dialogue.- The agenda will be structured to share experiences, surface challenges, and work together to define actionable next steps.
- Key insights and strategies will be further developed into educational resources for the broader LeadingAge community.
A detailed agenda will be provided prior to the event.
Dementia Inclusion Resources
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Dementia housing without locked wards? It’s a small but growing movement by NPR (Nov. 2025)
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Reimagining Inclusive Dementia Support Article by Kirsten Jacobs (Sept. 2025)
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Wall-less Dementia Care with Sue Verdegem and Evon Bergey (July 2025)
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Moving Toward Dementia Inclusion in Residential Care QuickCast by Kirsten Jacobs (July 2025)
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World Alzheimer’s Day Video by Teun Toebes (2025)
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Why Do We Segregate People Living with Dementia? Article by Jen Wilson & Kirsten Jacobs (Oct. 2024)
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Integrated Memory Care as a Civil Right: Pat Sprigg and Carol Woods (June 2021)
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Hi, I’m Kirsten
I’ll be facilitating this first LeadingAge dementia convening. Contact me with questions!