08/25/2026
THE CAMINO CONTINUES: REFLECTIONS ON NEXT STEPS FROM WALKING THE TALK FOR DEMENTIA
By Crystal M Glover, PhD | August 18, 2026
Walking the Talk for Dementia occurs every summer in Santiago de Compostela, Spain to create a shared vision of dementia-friendly communities and global strategies for the best aging possible. Attendees include people living with dementia, care partners, healthcare providers, researchers, and leaders in community-based organizations and support service agencies. As part of Walking the Talk for Dementia, participants trek the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage of enlightenment taken by millions across the world for centuries, followed by two days of presentations. I received a sought-after invitation to attend and speak at Walking the Talk for Dementia this year, and it was magical. I enjoyed sharing ideas and experiences with more than 95 registrants from 25 countries. The actual walk stretched my physical limits, but the conversations extended my scientific vision. In this blog post, I share reflections from my Walking the Talk for Dementia experience.
I began by thinking about the basics of medical care and community support. During Walking the Talk for Dementia, I listened to neurologists speak about working tirelessly to take care of patients. They felt unsure about what happened to people between their doctor’s visits and how those things affected their brain health. Community leaders discussed limited resources in neighborhoods that support older adults, especially those living with dementia. One attendee, a daughter who was a care partner for her father living with dementia, made clear that family members oftentimes fill in the gaps. One goal of Walking the Talk for Dementia is to build a world that truly includes and respects the independence and choices of people living with dementia. I firmly believe that these rights belong to all older adults. Many older adults rely on care partners, family, friends, community organizations and groups, and healthcare providers for support. As they say, it takes a village. However, these sources of assistance are often scattered and hard to access. I worry that older adults and care partners are too often left to figure things out on their own. We need a global effort to support brain health for everyone. This means making healthcare easier to access, providing ongoing resources, and making sure older adults feel seen, heard, and welcome in their communities. Care partners should be recognized as important members of a support team. They give so much to older adults in their lives, and they are aging too. Their health matters, and they should not be ignored because of their caregiving role. The implementation of these practices may create a world where healthy aging is available to all.
To read the full article from UC Irvine Mind, please click here https://mind.uci.edu/caminocmg/
