In August, over 600 participants from 30 different countries hear 300 presentations at IPA's Fifth Congress in Rome, Italy. International Psychogeriatrics publishes additional issues, including one supplement based on presentations at the Fifth IPA Congress regarding the clinical course in Alzheimer's disease, and another comprised of winning and selected submissions for the 1991 IPA Research Awards in Psychogeriatrics. A regional presence of IPA is established in Europe. The Board of Directors restructures to seat representatives of several international organizations, and to establish corresponding memberships. In Lille, France, in October, IPA convenes a workshop addressing Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias.
Winners are from Sweden, USA, and Japan.
The internal operating structure of the Board and Committees are reorganized to more effectively manage and accomplish the growing work and foci of the organization. A Meetings Committee is established to develop a proposed meeting process and set meeting guidelines. A working party is founded in collaboration with WHO to establish new criteria in collaboration with WHO for Age-Associated Cognitive Decline. A survey is distributed to determine the feasibility of establishing an international clearing house of research and program information on suicide in the elderly. The International Psychogeriatric Association Newsletter is renamed The IPA Bulletin to better reflect the news magazine format of the publication, J.A.C. Bleeker is named editor.