Help! I’m Ageing Podcast explores: Unpacking Dementia. Can we prevent it?
Dementia affects at least 450,000 Australians, and that's just the ones we know about. It's the second most common cause of death in this country. Around 1.7 million people are involved in caring for someone with the condition. But is dementia preventable? And if you get a diagnosis, what happens next?
Help! I’m Ageing. Ageing Well. Living Well. is answering the big questions about getting older, with real evidence, real stories, and honest conversations.
In this episode, Unpacking Dementia. Can we prevent it? our co-hosts, Tracy Parish and Dr Taya Collyer have a wide-ranging chat with one of Australia's leading dementia experts, Professor Velandai Srikanth, who has experienced loved ones living with the condition and advocates giving people a sense of hope when they are diagnosed with dementia.
“As a family, we were sure Mum had Dementia with her increased memory problems. Because of her hearing loss, she put everything down to "not hearing things" – "it is not my memory" she’d say. She did not want that diagnosis. But we knew what was important to her and so we kept her active and involved in those things she loved, adapting how she did things or accessed things along the way. Her family was always her priority.” – JANE |
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LISTEN and discover more about:
- What dementia is and what it isn't, like forgetting where you put your keys
- Why prevention starts at midlife, not old age
- Myth-busting dementia prevention: what's the impact of things like turmeric, Sudoku, alcohol and video games?
- What to do when a loved one with dementia ends up in hospital
- Why giving hope to people diagnosed with dementia is so important.
Features:
- Professor Velandai Srikanth Geriatrician and Director, National Centre for Healthy Ageing
- Tracy Parish Co-host, broadcaster and medical research journalist
- Dr Taya Collyer Co-host, lead biostatistician at NCHA
Links & References
- Dementia Australia
- Lancet Commission (2024) Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission
- Nature Medicine (2025) An online multidomain lifestyle intervention to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk older adults: a randomized controlled trial Maintain Your Brain RCT
- University of the Third Age Australia
- NCHA Living Labs Research Program
- NCHA Community and Resources Hub
- NCHA Healthy Ageing Resources
Disclaimer: Tracy and Taya are not medical doctors. This episode is based on research, but it's not medical advice. Please talk to your GP for advice tailored to you.
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Help! I’m Ageing was produced by James Pattison from Miniature Creative, and Tracy Parish and Anna Mudigdo from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA).