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Over 20 years experience of training in the care sector
Call us on
020 3129 5667
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a global opportunity to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and improve understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. For care providers and frontline care teams, it is also an opportunity to reflect on how knowledge, early recognition and person-centred practice can improve the experience of people living with dementia.
Each September, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) brings people and organisations around the world together for World Alzheimer’s Month. The campaign aims to raise awareness and challenge the stigma and discrimination that continue to surround dementia.
In 2026, the campaign focuses on the importance of early diagnosis under the theme:
“The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters.”
The campaign highlights how receiving a diagnosis can help people living with dementia, their families and carers access appropriate treatment, care and support.
What is World Alzheimer’s Month?
World Alzheimer’s Month is an international campaign organised by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) every September.
It was introduced to give Alzheimer’s and dementia organisations around the world a longer opportunity to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and advocate for better support. World Alzheimer’s Day takes place during the month, on 21 September.
The month brings together people living with dementia, families and carers, social care professionals, healthcare professionals, researchers, organisations and communities.
It is about more than simply raising awareness. A coordinated global campaign helps bring attention to dementia as a major health and social care issue, while encouraging conversations about diagnosis, support, care and reducing stigma.
Why is World Alzheimer’s Month important?
Dementia can have a significant impact on individuals, families, carers, and the wider social care system.
However, misconceptions and stigma can make it harder for people to talk about dementia, seek help, or access the support they need.
This is why early diagnosis is a key focus of the 2026 campaign.
A diagnosis can help people and those around them understand what they are experiencing and explore available treatment, care and support options. It can also provide an opportunity to plan for the future and connect with relevant services and support networks.
For social care providers, this reinforces the importance of having teams who understand dementia and know how to provide compassionate, respectful, and person-centred support.
7 ways care providers can get involved this September
World Alzheimer’s Month doesn’t have to mean organising a large event. Small, meaningful activities can help teams learn, start conversations, and raise awareness.
Use team meetings, supervision sessions, or informal discussions to encourage staff to talk about dementia.
Ask questions such as:
Creating space for these conversations can help make dementia a normal topic of discussion rather than something surrounded by fear or stigma.
ADI has created a free World Alzheimer’s Month 2026 Campaign Toolkit, including social media cards, posters, infographics, and other campaign materials.
The resources are designed to help organisations and individuals support the campaign and share messages around early diagnosis and dementia awareness. (alzint.org)
👉 Access the World Alzheimer’s Month 2026 Campaign Toolkit
Care providers could use the materials in staff areas, newsletters, internal communications or social media throughout September.
World Alzheimer’s Month is a useful reminder to look at whether staff have the knowledge and confidence they need to provide effective dementia care.
Consider using September as an opportunity to:
For care providers, ongoing learning can help staff translate dementia awareness into better everyday practice.
Ask your team how well they know the people they support.
Do staff know their:
These details can help care workers provide support that feels individual rather than task focused.
World Alzheimer’s Month is also an opportunity to raise funds and support dementia organisations.
ADI’s fundraising guide includes a wide range of ideas for individuals, teams and organisations, from bake sales and coffee mornings to quizzes, sponsored challenges, memory days and team activities.
ADI also recommends setting a fundraising target, creating an online fundraising page, and encouraging colleagues, friends and family to get involved.
👉 Explore the ADI Fundraising Pack
Families and informal carers can play an important role in supporting people living with dementia.
Consider sharing reliable dementia resources with families or signposting them towards appropriate local support organisations.
World Alzheimer’s Month can provide a useful opportunity to remind families that they don’t have to navigate dementia alone.
21 September 2026 is World Alzheimer’s Day.
Care providers could mark the day by sharing information with staff, holding a team discussion, organising a fundraising activity, sharing campaign materials or simply taking a moment to recognise the experiences of people living with dementia and those who support them.
Building confidence through dementia training
Awareness campaigns can start important conversations, but ongoing training helps care workers turn knowledge into everyday practice.
At CareTutor, our dementia training is designed to support care and support workers working in social care settings.
Dementia Care 1: Understanding Dementia
Dementia Care 1: Understanding Dementia explores what dementia is, how it affects individuals, and some of the myths and stereotypes that can influence the quality of care provided.
The course covers topics including the main conditions that may cause dementia, the impact of dementia on individuals, memory and person-centred theory, and the VIPS framework.
👉 Explore Dementia Care 1: Understanding Dementia
Dementia Care 2: Person-Centred Dementia Care
Dementia Care 2: Person-Centred Dementia Care builds on this knowledge by focusing on how care workers can provide positive, responsive and supportive care.
The course covers person-centred qualities and skills, effective communication, understanding negative and positive care practices, engaging people with dementia in activities, and keeping people safe.
👉 Explore Dementia Care 2: Person-Centred Dementia Care
Together, these courses can help care teams build a stronger understanding of dementia and develop practical approaches to person-centred care.
Make this World Alzheimer’s Month count
World Alzheimer’s Month is an opportunity to do more than share a social media post.
For care providers, it can be a chance to learn, reflect, start conversations and strengthen everyday dementia care.
The 2026 theme: “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters”, reminds us of the importance of understanding dementia and making sure people can access appropriate care and support.
Whether you use ADI’s campaign toolkit, organise a fundraising activity, refresh your team’s knowledge, or simply create more opportunities to talk openly about dementia, every action can contribute to a more informed and supportive care environment.
This September, let’s use World Alzheimer’s Month as an opportunity to put knowledge into action, and keep the focus where it belongs: on the person, not just the diagnosis.