TraCeDem Stakeholder Day 2026: Bringing research and practice together
On 13 October 2026, TraCeDem hosted its first Stakeholder Day at Karolinska Institutet, bringing together researchers and representatives from healthcare, elderly care, public authorities, education, and other organisations working in dementia prevention and care. The event aimed to introduce TraCeDem's work, learn more about the activities and perspectives of its stakeholders, and create opportunities for future collaboration.
The day opened with an introduction by Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, TraCeDem's Principal Investigator, who presented the centre's research priorities, organisational structure, and long-term plans for stakeholder engagement.
She emphasised the importance of building partnerships throughout TraCeDem's ten-year journey to ensure that research addresses real-world needs and contributes to improvements in dementia prevention and care. Mariam Kirvalidze and Anna Rennie moderated the sessions.
Presentations from our stakeholders
Elisabet Åkesson – Stockholms Sjukhem
Elisabet Åkesson introduced Stockholms Sjukhem, a non-profit organisation providing geriatric care, rehabilitation, palliative care, and elderly care.
She presented its extensive research and education activities and discussed opportunities to collaborate with TraCeDem, particularly in testing new approaches to dementia care in clinical settings, developing person-centred practices across care services, and strengthening the connection between research and everyday care.
Stefan Brené – Socialstyrelsen
Stefan Brené presented Socialstyrelsen's work on implementing Sweden's National Dementia Strategy for 2025–2028. They outlined key priorities, including dementia prevention, early diagnosis, coordinated and person-centred care, professional knowledge, and support for family caregivers.
They also introduced ongoing efforts to develop and update national guidance and knowledge resources to support municipalities, healthcare providers, and professionals working with people living with dementia.
Christine Gustafsson – Sophiahemmet Högskola
Christine Gustafsson introduced Sophiahemmet Högskola's educational programmes in dementia care, developed in collaboration with Stiftelsen Silviahemmet. Her presentation covered specialised training opportunities for assistant nurses, registered nurses, care needs assessors, and managers, including the Silvia certification programmes.
She highlighted the importance of professional education in translating research-based knowledge into practice and strengthening the quality of dementia care.
Håkan Uvhagen – FoU nu, Region Stockholm
Håkan Uvhagen presented FoU nu's practice-oriented research and development activities in northwestern Stockholm, focusing on collaboration between municipalities and regional healthcare services.
He shared examples of initiatives supporting coordinated dementia care, including local collaboration programmes, improved support for younger people with cognitive disorders, and regional efforts to implement the FINGER model. His presentation highlighted how research and collaboration across organisations can contribute to more integrated and person-centred services.
Olesja Fornara and Maria Hjalmarsson – Region Stockholm
Olesja Fornara and Maria Hjalmarsson discussed dementia prevention and care within Region Stockholm's primary healthcare system. Using examples from Jakobsberg, they illustrated how primary care, specialist services, rehabilitation, and municipal elderly care work together to support people with cognitive impairment and dementia.
Their presentation emphasised the role of primary care in early identification and assessment, prevention, and coordination across the different stages of dementia care.
Nicoline Vackerberg and Anna Carlbom – Region Jönköping County
Nicoline and Anna introduced the ESTHER model, a person-centred approach to improving healthcare and social care through the simple question, "What is best for Esther?" They explained how the model encourages professionals, patients, and care organisations to work together, identify gaps in care, and develop solutions based on people's actual needs and experiences.
The presentation highlighted the importance of involving patients as active partners in both care improvement and research.
Lena Alksten – City of Stockholm
Lena Alksten provided an overview of elderly care in the City of Stockholm, including the services available to older residents and the challenges associated with a growing ageing population. She discussed the city's priorities, such as workforce development, expanding nursing home capacity, digitalisation, and adapting services to changing needs.
She also highlighted the increasing focus on preventive and knowledge-based approaches within municipal elderly care.
Maria Cavalli – Nadio
Maria Cavalli presented Nadio's digital platforms, Alzheimer's Guide and Lewy Guide, which provide information, practical advice, and support for people living with dementia and their family caregivers. She explained how these resources are developed with input from experts and adapted to the needs of their users.
She also explored opportunities for collaboration with TraCeDem, including sharing research findings, gathering patient and caregiver experiences, and organising educational webinars.
Looking ahead
The Stakeholder Day concluded with an opportunity for informal discussions and networking over lunch. The presentations offered insights into the work being carried out across different sectors and highlighted shared interests and opportunities for collaboration.
We thank all our speakers and participants for their engagement and contributions. This first meeting marked an important step in building connections between TraCeDem and its stakeholders, and we look forward to developing these partnerships in the years ahead.