A catalyst for innovation in global dementia policy and advocacy: insights from walking the talk for dementia

Abstract Global dementia policy and advocacy efforts are increasing. Walking the Talk for Dementia (WTD) is a catalyst to advance equitable dementia policy. WTD brings together multiple parties across the dementia continuum including people living with dementia and care partners who can collectively influence global dementia policies. Policy and advocacy-related data were collected from 79 WTD participants from 27 countries of origin/22 current countries of residence. Data sources included 95 reflections with 450 quotes from 54 participants gathered during the event, and a post-event survey ( N = 67). Thematic analysis identified four main themes illustrating how the WTD experience may influence global dementia advocacy and policy: transformative awareness of dementia experience, co-creating advocacy networks, embedding lived experience into organizational practice, enhancing policy influence. WTD participants have the potential to influence global dementia policy and advocacy through increased public awareness of the experiences of people living with dementia and their care partners, reduction in dementia stigma, and new cross-national collaborations.