Dementia is no longer inevitable — and Australia has a chance to lead the world in preventing it. That was the message delivered by Professor Henry Brodaty, internationally recognised dementia expert and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at UNSW, in a compelling address at the National Press Club last week.
Titled ‘Hope Beckons’, Professor Brodaty’s keynote was both a scientific update and a rallying cry. He called on the Federal Government to launch a national brain health campaign that reframes dementia prevention not only as a health imperative but a strategy for economic resilience.
“We are at a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is not inevitable, and we now have the tools to delay onset and slow progression,” Professor Brodaty said.
The cost of inaction
More than 400,000 Australians currently live with dementia, a number expected to double by 2050. Without action, the condition could impose an annual economic burden exceeding $7 billion by 2058.
In aged care, where demand is already outpacing workforce supply, the implications are profound. Beyond care settings, the ripple effects extend into the broader economy, as older workers exit the workforce prematurely and unpaid carers, often women, step back from paid employment.
“Dementia is not just a health crisis — it’s a productivity crisis,” Professor Brodaty warned.
A cost-neutral prevention model
Central to his address was the presentation of new findings from Maintain Your Brain, the world’s largest digital dementia prevention trial, led by CHeBA. Involving over 6,100 Australians aged 55–77 with at least two modifiable risk factors for dementia, the study tested the impact of personalised online coaching in physical activity, diet, cognitive training and mental health.
The results? After three years, participants in the intervention group had significantly improved cognitive outcomes and the program achieved this at no added cost to the health system.
“The cost of delivering the program was offset by reductions in healthcare use. This is smart prevention—high impact, cost neutral,” Professor Brodaty said.
Building momentum for change
Professor Brodaty noted that just 50 years ago, dementia research was in its infancy. Today, more than 100 specialist journals are advancing the science, and thousands of researchers will convene next week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto.
Australia, he argued, is well-positioned to be a global leader in translating research into national strategy.
“From hopelessness to hope, from stigma to science, this is a field transformed. But transformation needs funding, and urgency,” he said.
A national call to action
While the Federal Government has released a National Dementia Action Plan, Professor Brodaty believes that a dedicated Dementia Risk Reduction Program should be the next step — built on the proven Maintain Your Brain model.
“We need a national movement for brain health driven by evidence, delivered at scale, and invested in as part of our country’s productivity agenda,” Professor Brodaty concluded.
