Global Brain Health Institute
Leading the Way to Healthy Aging Minds
Republic of Ireland | United States
We made a final major investment in two longtime grantees—University of California, San Francisco and Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin—to create the Global Brain Health Institute. This groundbreaking venture will train and connect The Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, a new generation of leaders worldwide who have the knowledge, skills and drive to change both the practice of dementia care and the societal and environmental forces that affect brain health.
Our goal is to reduce dramatically the number of older people who develop dementia, which consumes not just the millions with this disease, but their families and caregivers as well. Dementia takes a terrible emotional and financial toll on everyone, including people and nations. In fact, a recent study showed that the cost for a dementia patient was more than 80 percent higher than the cost for someone with heart disease or cancer.
As Atlantic’s largest-ever program grant, it embodies our commitment to address global challenges with bold initiatives that will serve society for generations to come.
Building on 14 Years of Investments to Help People Live Well with Dementia
People with dementia should be able to get the care they need, for as long as they need it, while living at home, where they can stay connected to family and community.
In pursuit of that goal, our grantmaking in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland focused on informing policy, improving services, enabling people with dementia to have a say in their care and treatment, and reducing the stigma associated with the disease. In addition, support was provided to help family caregivers.
Learn about our 14 years of investments to tackle dementia ›
The Thinking, Funding and Research That Led to Our Final Big Bet on Dementia
Summaries of Case Studies, Evaluations & Reports
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Paying Dividends: A Report on The Atlantic Philanthropies Investment in Dementia in Ireland
Source: National University of Ireland Galway
This study examines Atlantic’s investments in the Republic of Ireland to improve dementia care, boost research and encourage changes in policy, and how these efforts have impacted the lives of people with dementia and their families. The study focuses on investments—made between 2011 and 2015—to provide support…
Resource type: Research Report
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The Irish National Dementia Strategy
Source: Department of Health Ireland
Dementia affects about 50,000 people in Ireland today and that number is expected to triple by 2041. For the first time, the Republic of Ireland has published a centralised and coordinated national strategy aimed at improving the lives of people living with dementia. The strategy's…
Resource type: Research Report
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Northern Ireland Audit of Dementia Care in Acute Hospitals 2015
Approximately 21-29% of adults aged over 70 years admitted to Northern Ireland hospitals have dementia. Admission to hospital can be a stressful and distressing experience for these patients. This audit report examines the quality of dementia care in all 12 acute hospitals in Northern Ireland, from…
Resource type: Research Report
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Genio Dementia Programme – Year 1
Source: Irish Centre for Social Gerontology
Dementia in the Republic of Ireland is associated with poor diagnosis, stigma and lack of awareness among the general public. Not surprisingly, service provision has been, as a consequence, badly structured, poorly funded and weakly integrated. Genio, an Atlantic grantee, is working to develop and test…
Resource type: Evaluation
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Creating Excellence in Dementia Care: A Research Review for Ireland’s National Dementia Strategy
Source: The School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College, Dublin and The Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUIG
More people in Ireland have dementia than cancer or heart disease yet it has been a largely invisible and underfunded health issue, according to a new report by Suzanne Cahill and Maria Pierce from the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College, Dublin;…
Resource type: Research Report
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Future Dementia Care in Ireland: Sharing the Evidence to Mobilise Action
Source: The School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College, Dublin and The Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUIG
This practical guide aims to answer questions and increase public awareness about dementia care in Ireland. Issues addressed include: What is dementia? How many people in Ireland have dementia? What are the costs of dementia? What is Ireland doing in its campaign on dementia? What…
Resource type: Research Report
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Irish National Audit of Dementia Care in Acute Hospitals
Source: The Irish National Audit of Dementia
Admission to an acute hospital can be distressing and disorienting for a person with dementia. These hospitals currently lack standards for assessing and caring for the particular needs of patients with dementia, even though dementia may affect up to 25% of hospital in-patients at any…
Resource type: Research Report
