Carta Social

18/08/2026

“Life cannot hide behind dementia”

The Ministry of Health, with the support of the Executive Committee of the National Health Plan for Dementias, launched on 7 July 2026 a national dementia awareness campaign, as part of the implementation of the Dementia Strategy and Mental Health Reform, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).

The campaign aims to contribute to a more informed, inclusive and prepared society to respond to the challenges of dementia by promoting health literacy, prevention, timely diagnosis, humanisation of care and protection of the rights of people living with dementia.

Throughout its different phases, the initiative seeks to increase knowledge about dementias, recognise early warning signs, encourage preventive behaviours and combat the stigma associated with these diseases.

In the first phase, under the concept “Dementia can hide behind life”, the campaign warned of signs that can often be confused with normal manifestations of ageing, reinforcing the importance of early clinical assessment.

In the second phase, with continuity during the month of August and under the message ‘Life cannot be hidden behind dementia’, the focus is on the person and not on the disease, promoting a more humane, inclusive and dignified approach to those living with dementia.

With presence in television, radio, press, digital media, outdoor advertising and social media, the campaign is complemented by literacy materials on prevention, early diagnosis and warning signs, adapted to different audiences and communication formats.

In a context where dementias are one of the main public health challenges associated with an ageing population, this initiative reaffirms the Ministry of Health's commitment to promoting health literacy, early recognition of symptoms and combating stigma, contributing to improving the quality of life of people with dementia and their families.

See one of the Videos the Campaign

Learn more about the campaign.

Source: https://www.sns.gov.pt/