“This also matters to me”: what does adherence to dementia risk reduction interventions mean to members of the public?

Sep 30, 2026

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Growing evidence highlights the potential of multidomain lifestyle-based interventions to reduce the risk of cognitive decline among older adults at higher risk of cognitive impairment. Adherence is identified as a key factor shaping outcomes and real-world impact, yet public understanding remains insufficiently studied. This article synthesizes insights from advisory boards within three European-funded projects, engaging 23 members of the public across nine countries. The findings cluster into three themes: relevance of adherence, balancing complexity and influencing factors, and the two-way communication process. Promoting adherence treats participants as active research partners, strengthening dementia prevention effectiveness and long-term impact.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Definition and difference from compliance

Key factors influencing adherence

Public perspectives and advisory board approach

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research (2026) 38:32 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03288-x](https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03288-x) PERSPECTIVE “This also matters to me”: what does adherence to dementia risk reduction interventions mean to members of the public? Ana Maria Diaz-Ponce1 · Sarah Campill1 · Mariagnese Barbera2,3 · Cindy Birck1 · Natalia Soldevila-Domenech4,5 · Laura Forcano Gamazo6 · Amaia Ayala-Garcia6,7 · Francesca Mangialasche8,9 · Jeroen Bruinsma10 · Marissa Zwan11,12 · Tobias Hartmann13 · Rafael De La Torre-Fornell1,14 · Alina Solomon2,3 Received: 29 October 2025 / Revised: 5 December 2025 / Accepted: 6 December 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Growing evidence highlights the potential of multidomain lifestyle-based interventions to reduce the risk of cognitive decline among older adults at higher risk of cognitive impairment. Within these complex and often demanding interventions, adherence has emerged as a key factor influencing both outcomes and impact. Numerous studies have explored adherence from the perspective of researchers which is often defined as the extent to which a person’s behaviour corresponds with agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider. However, less is known about how members of the public understand and experience it. This article presents insights gathered from Advisory Boards established within three European-funded projects, as part of Public Involvement activities led by Alzheimer Europe in collaboration with researchers in the projects. The discussions involved 23 members of the public (lay people with and without dementia) from nine European countries and focused on adherence in the context of research-based multidomain lifestyle interventions to reduce dementia risk. Feedback from Advisory Boards members were grouped in three overarching themes: (1)“Baking your own cake” which highlights the relevance and understandings of adherence from members of the public; (2)“Striking a balance” which refers to the complexity and influencing factors linked to adherence; and (3)“A two-way process” which emphasises the involvement of members of the public and the importance of clear communication and appropriate support throughout the intervention process. Promoting adherence requires recognising participants as active partners in research which may not only improve adherence itself but also enhance the relevance, effectiveness and longterm impact of dementia prevention efforts. Keywords Adherence · Intensity · Lifestyle intervention · Multimodal intervention · Dementia Introduction In recent years, an increasing body of evidence has emphasised the potential of multidomain lifestyle-based interventions for reducing the risk of cognitive decline among older adults at higher risk of cognitive impairment [1–3] . Adherence has been identified as a key factor in understanding the results and impact of such complex and often demanding interventions [4] . In a broad sense, adherence can be defined as “the extent to which a person’s behaviour – taking medication, following a diet, and/or executing lifestyle Rafael De La Torre and Alina Solomon are joint last authors. Extended author information available on the last page of the article changes, corresponds with agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider” [5] . It differs from compliance as it requires an active choice and the person’s agreement to the recommendations and, therefore, recognises a more active role from the person [6] . This is particularly relevant in the case of lifestyle interventions, as unlike some other treatments or interventions, it requires a high degree of personal agreement and commitment. An important remaining challenge is that adherence is not always conceptualised and reported in a homogeneous way in research [4, 5, 7, 8] hindering comparison across studies, and thus identification of 1 3 optimal intervention dosage for specific at-risk groups. It was recently sugge

FAQs

What is the role of adherence in dementia risk reduction lifestyle interventions?

Adherence is a key factor influencing both the outcomes and the impact of multidomain, lifestyle-based interventions aimed at reducing dementia risk.

How does this work frame adherence differently from compliance?

Adherence is described as requiring an active choice and the person’s agreement with recommendations, unlike compliance which does not emphasize the same level of active agreement.

What insights did the advisory boards contribute about how the public experiences adherence?

Feedback was grouped into three overarching themes: relevance and understanding of adherence, the need to strike a balance given complexity and influencing factors, and adherence as a two-way process requiring clear communication and appropriate support.

Sep 30, 2026

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