The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Dementia Observatory (Osservatorio Demenze) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalise a close collaboration and exchange aimed at improving care for healthy ageing.

The Dementia Observatory, is part of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute) of the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore della Sanità).

The Dementia Observatory located in Rome, Italy coordinates and supports the national and international public health response to dementia and corresponding efforts for prevention and health promotion through an integrated, evidence-based approach and life-course perspective.

The MoU outlines three specific areas of collaboration:

1. Development of long-term care standards to enhance the design and organisation of the continuum of care for older persons, with a particular focus on those living with cognitive disturbances;
2. Exploration and summarisation of available scientific literature on emerging issues related to healthy ageing to prioritize and guide interventions; and
3. Development of materials to address sociocultural diversities in the care approach to older persons.