Ageing is one of the greatest social and economic challenges of the 21st century for European societies. In all EU countries, life expectancy is increasing and it is estimated that by 2025 more than 20% of Europeans will be 65 or over. As Europe’s population is ageing, long-term care for elderly citizens will become an increasing cost for society. With ageing populations, strong increases in the prevalence of dementia may be expected. According to the World Health Organization, 44 million people around the world have some form of dementia, for which there is no effective intervention to halt or reverse the progressive cognitive impairment. To manage this transition, healthcare policies in the EU and individual Member States are heavily focused on extending the independent life of the elderly, with the dual aim of increasing their quality of life and reducing the costs of care.