Two globally respected figures in palliative care and dementia will headline the International Dementia Conference (IDC2026), set to take place in Sydney on 4–5 June 2026 at the Hilton.
UK palliative care advocate and bestselling author Dr Kathryn Mannix, alongside Canadian geriatrician and dementia care innovator Dr Allen Power, have been announced as plenary speakers for the biennial event hosted by HammondCare, who are a leading organisation focussed on dementia and palliative care.
Dr Mannix, a former palliative care physician and acclaimed author of With the End in Mind and Listen, is on a mission to change the way society understands death and dying. “I’ve spent my whole career working alongside dying people, and learning from them,” she said. “Now, I want to share their wisdom with the world. I’m looking forward to doing just that in Sydney at the International Dementia Conference.”
Dr Power, author of Dementia Beyond Drugs and Dementia Beyond Disease, is globally recognised for advocating non-pharmacological, person-centred approaches to dementia care. “We can achieve better care by changing the caregiving lens to focus on well-being,” he said. “At IDC2026, I hope to challenge, motivate and inspire people to preserve identity, celebrate personhood and create meaning in the moment.”
IDC2026 is expected to draw aged and healthcare professionals from around the world to share insights and innovations aimed at improving the lives of people living with dementia. The conference will feature expert panels, cutting-edge research on complex dementia and palliative care, and stories from those with lived experience.
Organisers are now calling for papers, encouraging practitioners, researchers, and people with lived experience to submit presentations to help shape the event.
For more information on registrations and how to submit a paper, visit the IDC2026 event website.
