World Alzheimer’s Day 2025

Every year on 21 September, the world comes together to mark World Alzheimer’s Day - a focal point of World Alzheimer’s Month. It is a day to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and promote understanding of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, conditions that affect tens of millions worldwide.

In 2025, the theme is:

“Ask About Dementia. Ask About Alzheimer’s.”

This theme is more than a campaign slogan. It’s an invitation to break the silence, confront stigma, and empower people everywhere to seek knowledge and support. Asking questions, whether as a family member, a care worker, a manager, or a regulator, opens the door to better understanding, earlier diagnosis, stronger systems, and more compassionate communities.

For highly regulated organisations across healthcare, social care, education, finance, and beyond, this year’s message is especially relevant. Asking the right questions is at the heart of compliance, safeguarding, and governance. 

In this blog, Anna Nova Galeon will explore what Alzheimer’s and dementia mean, why this year’s theme matters, and what practical steps regulated organisations can take to turn awareness into action.

Understanding dementia and alzheimer’s

Dementia is an umbrella term describing a set of symptoms that affect memory, reasoning, communication, and daily functioning. It is not a disease in itself, but a syndrome caused by various conditions.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for around 60–70% of cases. It is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that gradually impairs cognitive and physical functions.

Key facts highlight why action is urgent:

• More than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, with nearly 10 million new cases each year

• In the UK, dementia is one of the leading causes of death and a major challenge for the NHS and social care

• By 2050, global dementia cases are projected to triple, driven by ageing populations.

These numbers underline the scale of the issue - but also the importance of knowledge. The earlier we ask questions, the earlier dementia can be recognised and managed, improving outcomes for individuals, families, and care systems.

Why “Ask About Dementia. Ask About Alzheimer’s” matters

The 2025 theme emphasises curiosity, openness, and dialogue. Stigma and silence remain some of the most significant barriers to progress. Many people still believe dementia is simply part of ageing, or that nothing can be done. Families often avoid seeking a diagnosis out of fear or shame. Health professionals may miss early signs, dismissing symptoms as “normal forgetfulness”.

By encouraging everyone to ask questions, the campaign highlights four critical areas:

1. Breaking stigma - Encouraging honest conversations reduces shame, isolation, and misinformation.

2. Encouraging early diagnosis - Asking questions about changes in memory or behaviour can lead to earlier clinical assessments, care planning, and access to therapies or support.

3. Empowering carers and families - Questions open pathways to resources, respite, and training.

4. Improving systems and policy - Regulators, employers, and policymakers can identify gaps and develop dementia-inclusive services when they ask the right questions.

For organisations, this theme is a call to embed dementia awareness into governance, training, and daily operations - not just as an ethical responsibility, but as a compliance imperative.

Implications for highly regulated organisations

For sectors governed by strict regulation - such as health, social care, education, and finance - World Alzheimer’s Day 2025 is not only a reminder of social responsibility but also a compliance imperative. The theme “Ask About Dementia. Ask About Alzheimer’s” speaks directly to the systems, safeguards, and governance structures that protect vulnerable groups.

Highly regulated organisations must ensure that dementia awareness is woven into policies, practices, and culture. Below are four key areas where action is essential:

1. Compliance and regulatory duties

Organisations regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Ofsted, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), or professional regulators (GMC, NMC, HCPC, GDC) must show that their policies and practices protect vulnerable groups. Dementia awareness fits squarely into this duty.

• CQC’s Single Assessment Framework highlights safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, and person-centred care - all directly relevant to dementia.

• Equality and disability laws require fair treatment and reasonable adjustments for people with cognitive impairment.

• Data governance regulations (e.g., GDPR) demand secure and ethical handling of sensitive health and capacity-related data.

Failing to ask about dementia isn’t just a missed opportunity - it could be a compliance breach.

2. Risk management and duty of care

People with dementia may face risks in understanding contracts, giving informed consent, or navigating services safely. Organisations must:

• Carry out capacity assessments where appropriate

• Provide accessible communication materials (plain language, visual aids)

• Ensure support for decision-making is built into policies.

3. Workforce development

Mandatory training requirements in regulated sectors increasingly include safeguarding, equality, and dementia awareness. Staff should:

• Recognise early signs of dementia

• Communicate respectfully and clearly with those affected

• Know when and how to escalate concerns or referrals.

Embedding dementia awareness in compliance training helps staff act confidently, reduces risk, and demonstrates to regulators that awareness translates into practice.

4.Organisational culture

Culture is as important as compliance. Organisations that promote openness - where staff, service users, and families feel safe to ask questions - create more supportive, inclusive, and trustworthy environments. This culture shift starts with leadership and is reinforced by systems.

Practical steps organisations can take

For regulated organisations, “Ask About Dementia. Ask About Alzheimer’s” translates into concrete actions:

1. Review policies - Ensure dementia and cognitive impairment are explicitly addressed in equality, safeguarding, and inclusion frameworks.

2. Update training - Integrate dementia awareness into statutory and mandatory training, ensuring content is practical and role-specific.

3. Improve communication - Use accessible formats in signage, forms, and digital platforms to support individuals with memory or cognitive difficulties.

4. Engage stakeholders - Collaborate with carers, patient groups, and local dementia networks to strengthen community links.

5. Monitor and report - Track data on staff training, service accessibility, and patient experiences to evidence compliance and quality improvement.

6. Foster dialogue - Encourage staff and service users to ask questions about dementia, embedding openness into organisational culture.

Why the time to act is now

The urgency cannot be overstated:

• Demographic shifts mean dementia cases will rise dramatically in the coming decades

• Knowledge gaps persist among professionals and the public, slowing diagnosis and intervention

• New research and therapies show promise, but they only help if people are diagnosed early enough to benefit.

World Alzheimer’s Day 2025 is a reminder that asking questions is not a weakness - it is the first step toward solutions.

Time to act with ComplyPlus™

World Alzheimer’s Day 2025 challenges us to ask better questions - about dementia, Alzheimer’s, and the systems that support people living with these conditions. For highly regulated organisations, this is also about asking whether compliance frameworks, staff training, and governance structures truly address dementia care and inclusion.

That’s where ComplyPlus™, our digital compliance ecosystem, helps turn awareness into daily action. With ComplyPlus™, your organisation can:

• Embed dementia awareness into governance - Integrate safeguarding, equality, and dementia-inclusive care into inspection-ready frameworks.

• Track and evidence workforce training - Ensure every staff member has up-to-date dementia awareness and safeguarding knowledge.

• Strengthen duty of care - Document assessments, adjustments, and risk management to protect vulnerable service users.

• Demonstrate accountability to regulators - With auditable records and clear reporting that shows awareness is backed by action.