World Alzheimer's Day
Next: September 21, 2027
Remember them, even when they can't.
The story
Where it comes from
World Alzheimer's Day was launched by Alzheimer's Disease International on 21 September 1994 at its annual conference in Edinburgh, marking the federation's tenth anniversary. September as a whole became World Alzheimer's Month in 2012.
How it's celebrated
Memory walks, public talks and fundraising by national Alzheimer's associations; landmarks lit purple; families share stories of the people they care for. Many groups use the day to challenge stigma and to push for earlier diagnosis and better support for carers.
Did you know
- More than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and the number is expected to almost triple by 2050 as populations age.
- The disease is named after Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist who described the first case in 1906.
- Forget-me-not flowers and the colour purple are the symbols used by Alzheimer's charities in many countries.
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