Dementia Australia

“I’m trying to live life to the full – playing golf, spending time with my family and friends and getting out into the world.”    When Peter was diagnosed with younger onset dementia, he decided to focus on living as well as possible.    “I didn’t want to sit in the cold dark corners of my diagnosis, I’m not that type of person.”     This Brain Awareness Week we’re reminding people that it’s never too early, or too late, to look after your brain health.    While we cannot change getting older, genetics or family history, scientific research shows that looking after our brain health can make a big difference to reducing or delaying the risk of developing dementia.    Reducing the risk of dementia not only increases the number of healthy years of life it also supports people diagnosed with dementia to live as well as possible.    Whether you want to live well with dementia or learn how you can reduce your risk, Dementia Australia is here for information and support.     Contact the National Dementia Helpline anytime on 1800 100 500 or visit https://lnkd.in/dQCPiuJt for live-chat and email support.     You can also read up on brain health resource through the Dementia Australia Library  https://lnkd.in/gE-99_ck     #Brainawarenessweek 

Can you believe it, but we are already a quarter of the way through our 2025 Memory Walk & Jog season! The turn out so far has been incredible, with more than 4,000 participants already helping to raise $620,000 in support of Australians impacted by dementia. We have hit up many towns and cities, but we have many more to come! Find out if there is an event near you and sign-up to get involved now, visit https://lnkd.in/d8XYg_8r

“I was getting suspicious; Susan was starting to repeat a lot of things – the same stories over and over again.”  David cares for his wife Susan, who lives with dementia, and when he started to notice changes he said he knew something wasn’t quite right.     “Susan used to read a lot of books - we were in a book club together, and she was even on a first name basis with the librarian at the local library. Then she stopped reading books which was very unlike her,” David said.    “It took a while to convince Susan to go to the doctor - she didn’t think she needed to.”    If you’ve noticed changes in your loved one and need advice or support, we are here for you. Contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or through webchat or email at https://lnkd.in/dQCPiuJt.  Photo credit: Emma Garcia

When Bill was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer’s disease at just 59 he was devastated. But he soon realised that if he was going to live well with dementia he had to manage his brain health. While we cannot change getting older, genetics or family history, scientific research shows that looking after our brain health can make a big difference to reducing or delaying the risk of developing dementia. This week is Brain Awareness Week and Bill shares the holistic, person-centred approach he takes brain health. Bill engages in regular physical activity, including swimming, riding an e-bike and walking his dog on the beach most mornings, and follows a mostly Mediterranean diet. He also keeps mentally stimulated by playing sudoku and Mahjong, and gets regular medical check-ups including blood, hearing and eye tests. “If you want to build a better life, a life that has meaning in the time that remains, it’s important to do the things you enjoy,” Bill said. “When I’m really focusing on my brain health I feel so much better. “For me it’s about resilience and challenging myself – I try to step out of my comfort zone and do things people wouldn’t expect me to do.” Reducing the risk of dementia not only increases the number of healthy years of life it also supports people diagnosed with dementia to live as well as possible. Whether you want to live well with dementia or reduce your risk Dementia Australia is here for information and support. Contact the National Dementia Helpline anytime on 1800 100 500 or click on the link in our bio for live-chat and email support. You can also read up on brain health resource through the Dementia Australia Library, also available via the link in our bio. #Brainawarenessweek

Ahead of  International Women’s Day tomorrow we are showcasing the work of Dementia Australia Research Foundation past funding recipient Associate Professor Rachel Buckley. Professor Buckley is today an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, researching how dementia impacts women and men differently in their risk for pathology.     “Our most recent finding is that even middle-aged women have higher levels of tau, which we think is related to menopause. The use of hormone therapy may have a dual role in reducing or increasing the risk of dementia,” Professor Buckley said about her work.     With dementia the leading cause of death for Australian women, this International Women’s Day we want to acknowledge and celebrate Professor Buckley and all women who make a positive impact to the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers.      You can read more about Professor Buckley’s work in  our More Than a Cure report, celebrating 25 years of the Dementia Research Foundation https://lnkd.in/g4bJA6Vf     For dementia information and support please contact the National Dementia Helpline anytime on 1800 100 500 or through live chat https://lnkd.in/g8x4E_6u 

The Dementia Australia Library is free for members of the public as well as health and aged care professionals. Sign up to access our world-leading collection at https://lnkd.in/gktfw4c 

Worried about your memory but don’t want to talk about it?     National Dementia Helpline Advisor Pamela shares that it is normal to feel worried and uncertain, but you don’t have to face dementia alone.     Our friendly Helpline Advisors, like Pamela, are available 24/7 for advice and support.     There is no reason too big or small to contact the National Dementia Helpline. Call 1800 100 500 or visit dementia.org.au for live chat or email. We are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.     #100ReasonsToCall  

Erica was 30 when her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and she quickly became her full-time carer.      “Sometimes I felt like there was a real blur between my role as her granddaughter and family member - someone who just really loved her grandmother and didn't want to watch her going through this,” Erica said.      “Then there's the other side of me, which was the carer, which very much had to keep up to speed with all of her medical needs, do admin, and attend appointments with her.”      When caring for someone living with dementia you may have to deal with many different feelings, as the needs of the person living with dementia changes over time. While caring for your loved one can be rewarding, it can also have its tougher days.       “The whole other side of caring sometimes meant that I felt like just a carer. And there wasn't enough opportunity to just relax in each other’s company, reminisce together, and just engage in that grandmother-granddaughter relationship.”      Erica was a full-time carer until her grandmother, Coral, passed away in April 2023.      “I now look back on my caring experience as a privilege for me to have been able to get even closer to my grandmother, even if it was just to be able to address her needs."      No one should have to face dementia alone. Dementia Australia is here for you and offers support, information, education, and counselling.       Contact the National Dementia Helpline anytime on 1800 100 500 or visit https://lnkd.in/fmZgQEj for live-chat and email. 

Are you or someone you care for living at home with dementia?    You can now explore simple and practical ways to make your home more dementia-friendly with our new interactive video guide, The Dementia-Friendly Home.    A dementia-friendly home is a place where changes have been made that make it easier for someone living with dementia to feel safe and enabled.    This interactive video guide is organised room-by-room. You can click any room in the home and explore practical tips for that space.     The Dementia-Friendly Home was developed by Dementia Australia and generously supported by the Arcare Family Foundation.  Access the interactive guide at https://lnkd.in/gfTJjx3g or contact innovation@dementia.org.au with any enquiries.

Are you a care worker interested in developing leadership skills?    Consider enrolling in Dementia Australia’s Demonstrating Dementia Leadership program for care workers working with people living with dementia.     The six-week free program is delivered online with a weekly facilitator webinar where you will build dementia leadership knowledge and skills and learn to influence team performance and cohesion.     For more information and to enrol yourself or your team, visit https://lnkd.in/g3dVjuG8       This course is designed and delivered by Dementia Australia as part of Dementia Training Australia and is funded by the Australian Government.