This webinar will focus on the cultural aspects of dementia prevention through the lens of a community-based team working with Aboriginal peoples and organisations across regional and urban areas of NSW. Drawing on our collective experiences in dementia research and knowledge translation, we address the question: how is culture central to all that we do?

Specifically, the webinar will include discussion of

(1) The meaning of culture and its role in understanding connections to mind, body, and spirit, and conceptualising the links to the brain and cognitive health;

(2) How culture underpins the research and knowledge translation process;

(3) The ways in which culture has informed and guided our work and emerged as a key aspect of the research findings through three practical examples from our previous projects. Strength-based approaches to understanding cultural diversity in brain health and dementia prevention have a central role to play in reducing health disparities and promoting equitable ageing and longevity outcomes.

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We are delighted to welcome Prof Laura D. Baker as our keynote speaker along with:

• Prof Kaarin Anstey
• Prof Karen Charlton
• Prof Sharon Naismith
• Prof Ralph Martins
• A/Prof Kay Cox
• Dr Belinda Brown
• Dr Amit Lampit
• Dr Maree Farrow

Abstract Submissions Closed. For more information, please contact Dr Nikki-Anne Wilson: n.wilson@neura.edu.au

Keynote Address

Professor Laura D. Baker
We are very excited and honoured to announce that Professor Laura D. Baker will be providing the keynote address. Professor of Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine, and the Associate Director of the Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Professor Baker is an international leader in the areas of cognitive aging and lifestyle interventions to protect brain health and prevent cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Professor Baker has been an investigator of over 55 research studies on aging and Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment. One study that will finish next year, referred to as “EXERT,” is a large multi-site randomized clinical trial testing whether aerobic exercise might be medicine to protect against cognitive decline in adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Professor Baker is also the lead Principal Investigator of the large multi-site study supported by the Alzheimer’s Association that is testing whether a change in lifestyle can protect cognitive function in Americans who may be at risk for memory decline in the future. This study, called “U.S. POINTER” is part of a global consortium of other similar studies now being conducted in over 25 countries.

Invited Speakers

Prof Ralph Martins, Macquarie University and Edith Cowan University

Prof Martins is an authority in Alzheimer’s disease research with over 34 years of experience studying the disease. He is Foundation Chair of Aging and Alzheimer’s disease at Edith Cowan University and team leader of the COMBAT-AD research group at Macquarie University.

Prof Sharon Naismith, University of Sydney
Prof Sharon Naismith is a Clinical Neuropsychologist, NHMRC Dementia Leadership Fellow and holds the Leonard P Ullman Chair in Psychology at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney. She also Heads the Healthy Brain Ageing Program at the Brain and Mind Centre, a one-of-its-kind early intervention research clinic for dementia.

Prof Karen Charlton, University of Wollongong
Karen’s research investigates the role of diet on cardiovascular health and cognitive function in older adults, with a focus on flavonoids found in plant foods. Her work influences policy and practice, particularly population-level salt reduction in low-middle income countries.

A/Prof Kay Cox University of Western Australia

A/Prof Cox is an exercise physiologist and Research Associate Professor in the Medical School (Royal Perth Hospital Unit), at the University of WA. She is a senior collaborator on the INDIGO Study investigating physical activity and goal-setting interventions for sedentary older adults at risk of cognitive decline.

Dr Maree Farrow, University of Tasmania
Dr Maree Farrow is a cognitive neuroscientist and the Senior Academic Lead for Dementia MOOCs at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. Her research focus is learning better ways to educate people in the community about how they can reduce their risk of dementia.

Dr Belinda Brown, Murdoch University
Dr Belinda Brown’s research is primarily focused on understanding the role of lifestyle in maintaining a healthy ageing brain and preventing cognitive decline and dementia. Her previous work has identified a role of physical activity in: reducing toxic brain proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease, enhancing cognitive function, and maintaining brain volume.

Dr Amit Lampit, University of Melbourne
Dr Lampit is clinical neuroscientist specialising in cognitive training across the lifespan and brain disorders, clinical trials and research synthesis. He is a CR Roper Senior Research Fellow and co-leader of the Cognitive Interventions, Technologies and Evaluation Group at the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, and holds dual appointments at the Department of Neurology, Charité University Hospital Berlin and the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University.

The post 2021 Dementia Prevention Conference – 28 October, 2021 appeared first on DCRC.

Read more about the Changed Behaviours Special Interest Group at https://dementiaresearch.org.au/projects/sigchanged-behaviours/

Hosted by: Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration and Dementia Training Australia

Webinar: Symposium 1 – Changed Behaviours – Fri 18 June 2021

The post Symposium 1: Disinhibited Behaviours – Fri 18 June, 2021 appeared first on DCRC.

Sleep disturbances are often experienced by people living with dementia and can negatively impact their quality of life. This symposium aims to bring together experts from diverse backgrounds (people with lived experience, clinicians and researchers) to present their perspectives, including the latest research and clinical guidelines.

An expert panel discussion with audience Q&A will then take place to discuss where we need to focus research, clinical practice and policy development moving forward. Practical strategies that carers can use to help people living with dementia will also be discussed.

The post Symposium 2: Sleep Disturbances – Fri 16 July, 2021 appeared first on DCRC.

The Anxiety and Depression in Dementia Research (ADDResearch) Network international symposium aims to bring together experts from diverse backgrounds (people with lived experience, clinicians and researchers) to present their perspectives, including the latest research from across the globe, focused on helping people living with dementia who experience depression and/ or anxiety.

An expert panel discussion with audience Q&A will also take place to discuss where we need to focus research, clinical practice and policy development moving forward. Practical strategies that carers can use to help people living with dementia will also be discussed.

The post Symposium 3: Anxiety & Depression with ADDResearch – Fri 17 September, 2021 appeared first on DCRC.

Reflecting on progress and challenges since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and additional challenges of COVID-19, this symposium will include expert presentations from people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers and government.

This Symposium will look at future directions in making person-centred care a reality throughout Australia.

Time/s:   9:00am – 2:00pm (AEST) |  10:00am – 3:00pm (AEDT) | 9:30am – 2:30pm (ACDT) | 8:30am – 1:30pm  (ACST) | 7:00am – 12:00pm (AWST)

The post Online symposium: Making person-centred care a reality – Fri 19 November, 2021 appeared first on DCRC.

Consequently, many research findings translated into clinical practice and social policy are culturally inappropriate, disregard biological differences across Australia’s multicultural groups, and perpetuate
social inequalities.

This seminar will outline the current gaps in Australian dementia research vis-à-vis the inclusion of CALD communities; ways to ameliorate some of these gaps including addressing methodological difficulties around recruitment, accessing big data, and costs of such research; and the potential advances for individual researchers as well as Australian-research and policy on a global stage.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR BIANCA BRIJNATH

Divisional Director of Social Gerontology at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI), Bianca’s disciplinary training is in medical anthropology and public health and her research expertise is in cultural diversity, dementia, and mental health.

She has undertaken several studies exploring mental health and culture, mental health and the life-course, and dementia and cultural diversity.

The post Webinar: Involving CALD Communities in Dementia Research appeared first on DCRC.

Changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia
Wednesday 4th November @ 10.00am-12.30pm

Anxiety and depression in dementia research network
Wednesday 11th November @ 10.00am-12.30pm

Abstracts: submit before 30th September when registering

Location: online via zoom (link will be emailed to you at the end of October)

The symposia will provide an opportunity to present and discuss your research and consider potential new collaborations.

Hope to see you there!

The post Changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia: Two Online Symposia appeared first on DCRC.

The post Online Webinar: View of Dementia from a Public Health and Population Perspective appeared first on DCRC.

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