Friederike de Maeyer

Friederike de Maeyer is an informal caregiver and Chairwoman of the Austrian National Association for Dementia Self-Help (Dachverband Demenz Selbsthilfe Austria). Originally from Belgium, she has lived with her husband Christian, a civil engineer leading international construction projects, and their three children in Germany, China, Canada, Hungary, and Qatar before the family settled in Graz, Austria, in 2016. Professionally, she worked for many years as a Foreign Language (DaF) trainer, fostering connections across cultures through communication and education. Her life changed profoundly in early 2019, when Christian was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Confronted with the immense challenges of this condition, she chose active engagement and became involved in the dementia self-help movement. Since then, she has dedicated herself to supporting families, strengthening peer networks, and advocating for systemic improvements in Austria and beyond. Friederike’s work is guided by a clear conviction: Alzheimer’s does not only affect the individual — it hits the whole family, and families need a strong network of support. (Her combination of personal experience, cultural perspective, and leadership makes her a strong and empathetic voice in the national and international conversation on dementia.)