The project JADE Health – Joint Action addressing Dementia and Health, co-funded by the European Union in the framework of the EU4Health Programme, has started on 1 January 2025.

The objective of JADE Health is to improve prevention, early detection and management of dementia and other neurological disorders, thus reducing health inequalities and addressing the needs of vulnerable population. This will be achieved through evidence-based exchange of best practice to ensure sustainability, placing a strong emphasis on prevention and early detection and involves the implementation of a new diagnosis and treatment model leveraging cutting-edge technology.

JADE Health consortium represents an unprecedented collaborative effort, uniting 17 European countries to address dementia. The participating countries are: Spain, Denmark, Malta, Estonia, Norway, Italy, Ukraine, Germany, Slovenia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Czechia and Lithuania. This large-scale initiative will facilitate the creation of a comprehensive picture of the dementia landscape across Europe. By fostering collaboration, JADE health will gain valuable insights into the global impact of dementia, encompassing its influence on society, the environment, families, and broader social spheres. Consortium partners are a mix of national and regional ministries of health, healthcare services, public health institutions, medical universities, research organisations, health foundations, dementia and mental health centres and municipalities. The multidisciplinary nature of the consortium allows to address dementia across its entire spectrum, from preventive measures and early detection strategies to treatment options and the development of effective public policies, in order to improve the quality of life of both the sick persons and their environment.

• More than 7,500 citizens will be involved in 44 pilot actions foreseen during the project.
• The project will receive 5 million euro during three years involving 47 entities from 17 countries.
• More than 2,000,000 citizens will be reached to increase awareness and reduce the stigma associated with these diseases.

In parallel, the global aging population continues to grow, with 9% of people currently over 64 years old. The United Nations (UN) projects that by 2050, this figure will increase to 16%, meaning that one in six people will be over 64 years old (UN 2019; Yang, Zheng, and Zhao 2021). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as dementia and other neurological disorders, considered the seventh leading cause of death and the main cause of dependency among the elderly, being present in 70% of cases. Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurological disorder associated with dementia, accounti[ng for 60-70% of all dementia cases, currently affecting over 55 million individuals worldwide. The pandemic has placed additional pressures on people’s mental health, especially among the young and those with pre-existing mental health conditions.

To address these challenges, the European Commission has prioritized mental health alongside physical health, introducing 20 flagship initiatives supported by €1.23 billion in funding from different financial instruments. The Joint Action JADE Health - Joint Action addressing DEmentia and HEALTH - is one of these projects designed to integrate validated best practices and/or (cost-)effective interventions across countries and regions through transnational pilot initiatives, complementing and reinforcing existing policies and programs.

JADE Health adopts a comprehensive and holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on multiple dimensions of well-being. These include enhancing health literacy, raising awareness about dementia, and promoting early detection through screening and primary prevention, particularly among high-risk populations. The project is committed to supporting individuals living with dementia or other neurological disorders by fostering early intervention and improving education. Furthermore, JADE Health seeks to elevate societal awareness of dementia by providing targeted education to relatives, care professionals, and other key stakeholders.