IPA 14th International Congress
The Next Steps to Prevention

Initial evaluations of the recent biennial IPA Congress (1-5 September) in Montréal, Canada herald it a success or so say the delegates who traveled from all parts of the globe.  With the scientific theme, Path to Prevention, delegates came to learn about and discuss the broad range of geriatric mental health issues for which IPA is known plus focus on the key issue of prevention of age-associated conditions such as depression, delirium and dementia.

 What are the lessons we learned about prevention?

• That prevention of Alzheimer’s disease may well start in primary school with better meals and assistance to children in need
• That in certain countries, the increase in pension funds for retired seniors have indirectly helped their grandchildren to attend school
• That many elderly persons are confused because of the cumulative side-effects of prescription drugs, and pharmacists could play an important role in adding up the anticholinergic burden of drugs for their clients
• That depression is to a great extent related to social isolation, which can be improved by regular contacts with children
• That suicide is affecting women as much as men in rural China
• That strategies that involve treating vascular risk factors, increasing physical, mental and social activities, and use of a Mediterranean-type diet appear useful for preventing cognitive decline

These lessons illustrate the broad range of factors that can influence better mental and physical health for our later years.  Research needs to continue and this effort was facilitated by a meeting at this Congress of the five largest research networks linking North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania with an agreement to accelerate research on age-associated cognitive decline.  This collaboration will extend to training young investigators which will engage in 7- to 10-year studies with volunteers.  These observation and intervention studies require interaction with the public, and IPA links with Alzheimer Disease International and other important lay associations are an important factor in the success of preventive research.  Knowledge transfer is thus a commitment of the IPA for the years to come.  IPA plans to post the meeting slides to the members’ site.  A notice will be sent out to members when they are ready for viewing (probably in mid to late October).

During each Congress, IPA also identifies those who help advance the field of psychogeriatrics.  Most prestigious are the IPA Distinguished Service Awards which are presented every two years in conjunction with IPA’s congresses.  IPA recognizes recipients in three areas:  service to the Congress Host Country (wherever the Congress is held – for 2009 in Canada), service to the field, and service to the IPA organization.  For the list of this year’s as well as past Distinguished Service Award recipients, click here.  IPA also recognizes every two years those more junior members of the field who demonstrate their potential to impact the research and advance the knowledge in Psychogeriatrics.  Entries are peer-reviewed by a selection panel and the top three submissions are distinguished with the opportunity to present in a plenary at the Congress as well as being published in IPA’s journal, International Psychogeriatrics.  From a field of 23 submissions this year’s recipients were selected; please click here to see their names and papers.

Thank you to all of the presenters, delegates and sponsors who helped to make this Congress a success.  The path is now laid to IPA’s next Congress on 6-10 September 2011 in The Hague, The Netherlands.  We will see you there!

Serge Gauthier & Nathan Herrmann
Co-Chairs, 14th International Congress - Montréal