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| Alzheimer Belgique | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alzheimer Belgique |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
| Key people | Christian Van Laethem, Marie Dupont, Jean-Pierre Dupont |
| Area served | Belgium |
| Focus | Alzheimer's disease, dementia care, caregiver support, research |
Alzheimer Belgique is a Belgian non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, providing caregiver resources, and promoting research and public awareness. The association operates across Wallonia and Brussels, engaging with healthcare institutions, academic centres, patient advocacy groups and European networks to shape dementia policy and practice. Alzheimer Belgique coordinates services, funds research, and advocates with regional authorities to improve long-term care and social services for older adults.
Alzheimer Belgique provides practical assistance and counselling to people with dementia and their families while collaborating with hospitals, nursing homes, and community centres in Belgium. The organisation liaises with clinical teams at UZ Leuven, CHU Liège, Institut Jules Bordet, Université catholique de Louvain and academic departments at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Université libre de Bruxelles for clinical guidance. It communicates with patient organisations such as Alzheimer Nederland, Alzheimer Society of Canada, Alzheimer's Association (United States), Dementia UK and participates in European networks including Alzheimer Europe and European Federation of Neurological Associations.
Founded in 1984 by clinicians, carers and volunteers influenced by campaigns from World Health Organization mental health initiatives and advocacy models from United Nations disability programmes, Alzheimer Belgique developed into a national umbrella organisation. Early partnerships included collaborations with Red Cross (Belgium), Solidarité Sociale groups, and municipal health services in Brussels and Liège. The governance structure comprises a board of directors with representatives from medical societies such as Belgian Neurological Society, academic centres like Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and major hospitals including CHU Saint-Pierre. Over time, the organisation established provincial offices aligned with regional health authorities like Flemish Community and Walloon Government health directorates.
Alzheimer Belgique runs helplines, memory clinic signposting and respite care programmes, working with multidisciplinary teams from geriatrics departments at Hôpital Erasme and Sint-Pieter Hospital. The charity offers caregiver education derived from models used by National Health Service (England), Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and clinical pathways recommended by European Academy of Neurology. Programmes include day centres co-managed with municipal welfare services in Antwerp and Charleroi, art and music therapy projects inspired by initiatives at Royal Conservatory of Brussels and social inclusion events in partnership with Caserne Fonck. Training modules adapt methodologies from Occupational Therapy Association curricula and guidance issued by Royal College of Psychiatrists dementia faculties.
Alzheimer Belgique funding supports translational research and clinical studies in collaboration with university hospitals such as UZ Gent, Hôpital Erasme, and research institutes including VIB and Interuniversity Institute of Neurosciences. It co-funds cohort studies modelled on international efforts like the Framingham Heart Study and biobanking consortia similar to BBMRI-ERIC. Partnerships extend to pharmaceutical research groups collaborating with translational medicine centres at Université de Liège and biotech spin-offs from KULeuven technology transfer offices. The organisation convenes symposia with participation from researchers affiliated to Brain Research Institute (Netherlands), Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology, and grant panels informed by reviewers from European Research Council.
Alzheimer Belgique conducts public campaigns timed with international observances such as World Alzheimer’s Month and policy forums comparable to those organised by European Commission health units. Advocacy targets ministers and parliaments within the Belgian federal structure and regional assemblies like the Parliament of Wallonia and Flemish Parliament to influence long-term care legislation and reimbursement frameworks aligned with directives from Council of the European Union. The organisation submits position papers reflecting best practices from OECD reports and engages in coalition-building with civil society actors including Age Platform Europe and consumer rights groups like Test Achats.
Funding stems from individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants from foundations such as King Baudouin Foundation, project funding from the European Commission Horizon 2020 framework and contracts with regional health insurers including Mutualité Chrétienne and Partena Ziekenfonds. Governance follows non-profit statutes registered with Belgian authorities and auditing standards used by organisations like European Foundation Centre. A volunteer board works alongside a professional executive managed by staff with backgrounds from Sciensano, public health departments, and academic medicine.
Alzheimer Belgique maintains regional offices and volunteer networks serving urban and rural communities, coordinating local support groups in municipalities including Bruges, Mons, Namur and Liege. Volunteers receive training modules inspired by programmes at European Volunteer Centre and collaborate with local carers’ associations such as Fédération des Services Sociaux and faith-based charities like Caritas International. Outreach includes mobile memory clinics deployed in partnership with municipal health centres and collaborations with employers guided by workplace policies promoted by Federation of Belgian Enterprises.
Category:Health charities in Belgium Category:Dementia organisations Category:Medical and health organisations based in Brussels