Events & Webinars
MEETING: NDSS Externally Led Patient-Focused Drug Development Meeting
Hosted by: National Down Syndrome Society
June 2, 2026
10:00 AM ET
We want to hear from you! NDSS is hosting an Externally-Led Patient Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease (DS-AD).
The goal of the virtual meeting is to show the FDA and other decision makers how DS-AD impacts the lives of adults with Down syndrome and their families. Topics include the symptoms of DS-AD, individual experiences with available treatments, and hopes for future therapies. The insights shared during the EL-PFDD meeting will help inform future regulatory policies to better reflect the unique challenges that Alzheimer’s disease has on our community.
You are invited to participate in several ways:
Attend the meeting from your own phone or laptop, and participate during the meeting by answering poll questions, calling in with comments, or emailing responses to be read on-air.
Submit comments about your experience with DS-AD online before the meeting to be included in the Voice of the Patient Report.
If you cannot virtually attend on June 2, you can still submit comments online until July 1, which will be aggregated and added to the Voice of the Patient Report.
WEBINAR: Palliative Care Trajectories for Adults with Intellectual Disability
Hosted by: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
June 9, 2026
12:00 PM–1:00 PM EST
Presenter: Romane Couvrette, PhD, Université de Montréal
In this webinar, speakers will:
Examine the complexity of palliative care trajectories for adults with intellectual disabilities through an ecological and relational lens.
Identify key interacting factors influencing the quality and inclusiveness of palliative care.
Highlight ethical challenges and opportunities related to autonomy, inclusion, and end-of-life decision-making.
Discuss strategies to strengthen collaborative practices and promote self-determination in end-of-life care contexts.
WEBINAR SERIES: Building Dementia-Capable Organizations: Essential Strategies for Supporting Adults with Autism
Featuring: Jeff Owens
Hosted by: National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices
June 9, 2026
3:00 PM–4:30 PM EDT
Cost: $35
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are living longer than ever—bringing new opportunities and challenges for the organizations that support them. This webinar series helps organizations prepare with practical strategies to better support aging adults with IDD and their families.
This NTG Advanced Webinar Series is designed to equip organizations and their staff with practical knowledge and strategies to:
Strengthen supports for families and caregivers.
Recognize the onset of cognitive and behavioral changes and the critical role of staff as advocates in ensuring that appropriate diagnostic protocols are followed.
Understand how lifelong experiences—particularly in adults with autism—may influence aging, stress, and risk for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Through expert-led sessions, participants will gain insights and tools to evaluate current practices and identify meaningful opportunities to enhance the services they provide.
FORUM: Connecting Health Care, Public Health, and Community for Dementia Detection and Care
Hosted by: Gerontological Society of America
June 16–17, 2026
12:00 PM–2:00 PM EST
Moderated by: Drs. Soo Borson and Joshua Chodosh
GSA Forum: Connecting Health Care, Public Health, and Community for Dementia Detection and Care is an interactive, application-focused experience that brings together researchers, clinicians, and community-based organizations. In this inaugural GSA Forum, faculty will highlight exemplary initiatives and creative solutions to promote brain health and improve dementia detection and care.
Moderated by Drs. Soo Borson and Joshua Chodosh, this live forum brings together clinicians, researchers, public health professionals, and industry leaders to explore practical, real-world approaches to improving dementia diagnosis and care.
Each session walks you through a step in the framework (kickstart, assess, evaluate, refer), using real-world case studies from health systems, community programs, and public health initiatives. You’ll leave with strategies that work, can be scaled, and are ready to implement.
Participants will:
Gain practical skills to improve early detection, diagnosis, and connection to care.
Learn about innovative strategies to support brain health and improve dementia care in real-world clinical and community settings.
Hear what's working, what's scalable, and how to implement it in your own setting.
Engage with experts and peers across clinical care, research, and public health.
Whether you are early in your career or a seasoned professional, this forum offers valuable insights to support better brain health outcomes through cross-sector collaboration.
WEBINAR: Intersections of Dementia and IDD
Hosted by: The Council on Quality and Leadership
June 29, 2026
12:00 PM–1:00 PM CT
Featuring: Kathryn Pears, Chief Operations Officer for the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices
Considering that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to live longer than ever before, their risk of developing dementia also increases. So with that, how can human service providers better identify the signs of dementia in people with IDD? Why do certain symptoms sometimes lead to a misdiagnosis of dementia? What supports can be provided to those who develop dementia, to improve quality of life? How can organizations better equip both staff and people receiving services with relevant tools, knowledge, and skills?
In this free webinar, Intersections of Dementia and IDD, we hear from Kathryn Pears, Chief Operations Officer for the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG). Kathryn will detail strategies for identifying, understanding, and navigating the relationship between dementia and its impact on people with IDD. Attendees will learn practical tips and guidance for effective supports and services. In addition, Kathryn will share common challenges you may experience with solutions to those issues.