The JADE Health project has begun, and the RIN joins the European network for dementia.
The JADE Health project – Joint Action addressing Dementia and Health, co-funded by the European Union under the EU4Health programme, was launched on 1 January 2025.
The goal of JADE Health is to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and management of dementia and other neurological disorders, while reducing health inequalities and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable populations. This will be achieved through the exchange of evidence-based best practices aimed at ensuring the sustainability of interventions. The project places strong emphasis on prevention and early diagnosis and includes the implementation of a new model of diagnosis and treatment leveraging cutting-edge technologies.
The JADE Health consortium represents an unprecedented collaborative effort, bringing together 17 European countries to tackle dementia. The participating countries are: Spain, Denmark, Malta, Estonia, Norway, Italy, Ukraine, Germany, Slovenia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. This large-scale initiative will make it possible to build a comprehensive picture of the dementia situation in Europe. By fostering cooperation, JADE Health will generate valuable insights into the global impact of dementia, taking into account its social, environmental, family-related and collective implications.
The consortium partners include a wide range of actors: national and regional health ministries, health services, public health institutions, medical universities, research organisations, health foundations, mental health and dementia centres, as well as local administrations. Italy is represented by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità; among the various institutions involved is also the IRCCS Network for Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation. The multidisciplinary nature of the consortium makes it possible to address dementia in all its dimensions—from preventive measures and early diagnosis strategies to therapeutic options and the development of effective public policies—aimed at improving the quality of life of both people living with dementia and their families and communities.
- Over the course of the project, more than 7,500 citizens will be involved through 44 pilot actions.
- The project will receive €5 million over three years, engaging 47 organisations from 17 countries.
- More than 2 million citizens will be reached through awareness-raising activities aimed at increasing public understanding and reducing the stigma associated with these conditions.
Meanwhile, the world’s population is ageing: currently, 9% of people are over the age of 64, and according to United Nations projections (2019), by 2050 this share will rise to 16%, meaning one in six people will be over 64 (Yang, Zheng and Zhao, 2021). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as dementia and other neurological disorders, are now the seventh leading cause of death and the main cause of dependency among older adults, accounting for 70% of cases. Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease—the most common form of dementia—represent 60–70% of all dementia cases and currently affect more than 55 million people worldwide. The pandemic has further worsened mental health conditions, particularly among young people and individuals already living with mental health disorders.
To address these challenges, the European Commission has placed mental health on the same priority level as physical health, introducing 20 flagship initiatives supported by €1.23 billion from various financial instruments. The Joint Action JADE Health – Joint Action addressing DEmentia and HEALTH is one of these initiatives, designed to integrate validated best practices and (cost-)effective interventions at transnational level through pilot actions, with the aim of strengthening and complementing existing policies and programmes.
JADE Health adopts a comprehensive, holistic approach to health, acting on multiple dimensions of well-being. Its objectives include improving health literacy, increasing awareness of dementia, and promoting early diagnosis through screening and primary prevention, especially among high-risk populations. The project is committed to supporting people living with dementia or other neurological disorders by fostering early intervention and education, and aims to enhance public awareness through training activities targeting families, care professionals and other key stakeholders.