What are the challenges and opportunities for professional psychologists working in dementia care over the next ten years? Reflections from the dementia literature

This paper summarises a keynote presentation given at the 2024 FPOP conference. Given her editorship of the Reconsidering Dementia Book Series, the author reflects on a number of key developments that professional psychologists working in dementia care will need to face over the next ten years. These include disease modifying pharmacological treatments; routine screening for dementia and MCI in at risk groups; many people being diagnosed at a much earlier stage and living many more years with a diagnosis; assisted dying; increased need for talking based psychosocial interventions; increasingly sophisticated AI technology; increased need for peer support. Staying true to professional values and the value of person-centred care will enable us to articulate our vision. The real challenge will be how we can provide this in a volatile social, political and economic situation.