Today at the National Press Club of Australia, Professor Henry Brodaty, a renowned clinician, researcher, policy advisor and Co-Director of UNSW's Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), delivered a powerful address: 'Hope Beckons', urging the Federal Government to back prevention-focused dementia research as a national productivity strategy.
"We are at a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The science is clear: dementia is not inevitable, and we now have the tools to delay onset and slow progression," Prof. Brodaty said.
Over 400,000 Australians live with dementia, and this is expected to double by mid-century, carrying an estimated $3.7 billion economic burden in direct costs annually.
We don't have a magic doorway out of this crisis but we do have prevention, through smart investment in proven programs.
Professor Henry Brodaty AO
Evidence of impact without additional cost
In his address, Prof. Brodaty highlighted the delivery of the world's largest digital dementia prevention trial led by CHeBA: Maintain Your Brain. The findings were compelling, highlighting that personalised, lifestyle-based intervention could significantly reduce dementia risk and improve cognitive and other health outcomes, all without adding extra burden to the healthcare system.
New results announced today and published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, quantified the differences in costs - direct healthcare and program costs - and effectiveness outcomes between the intervention and control groups from a healthcare sector perspective.
The findings confirm that the intervention is cost-neutral over three years, delivering measurable cognitive and health benefits at no additional cost compared to standard care.
The trial was the largest online randomised controlled trial of its kind, involving more than 6,100 Australians aged 55-77 with at least two modifiable risk factors for dementia.
After three years, participants who received personalised online coaching in physical activity, nutrition, cognitive training, and mental health showed significant improvements in cognitive performance and greater reductions in dementia risk compared to those who received general health information alone.
Crucially, there was no significant difference in cost per person over the trial period. The costs of the program were almost completely matched by the savings in health costs over three years, indicating that the program delivers results without straining health budgets.
"With Australia's ageing population and growing dementia burden, investing in preventive programs could offer substantial health system savings while improving quality of life for older Australians," said Prof. Brodaty.
Brain health is a productivity issue
Dementia is not only a health crisis - it's an economic one.
Australia's workforce is ageing. The proportion of workers aged 55 and over has doubled over the past three decades, now sitting at 19%. Maintaining their cognitive health is vital to national productivity.
With retirement ages rising and older adults participating more in the workforce, supporting cognitive health is a smart economic strategy.
Professor Henry Brodaty AO
Family carers, often women, also face career sacrifices to care for loved ones with dementia, compounding productivity losses. Prevention is not just about adding years to life, but keeping Australians engaged, independent, and contributing longer.
"People engaged in Maintain Your Brain use fewer healthcare resources which offsets the cost of delivering the program. In the long run, the program will deliver additional benefits on cognitive, physical, mental and social health that will more than pay back its costs," says Prof. Brodaty.
A field transformed: The rise of dementia research
The Maintain Your Brain trial builds on decades of scientific momentum - and Australia has played a major role in that progress.
"Research is our friend here," Prof. Brodaty said. "And the evidence base is growing stronger every year."
Next week, over 8,000 researchers and clinicians - many of them early-career - will gather at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto to explore the latest global developments in dementia prevention, diagnosis and care.
"This is a dramatic shift from just 50 years ago," Prof. Brodaty said. In 1972, not a single journal was devoted to dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Today, there are more than 100 specialised journals publishing cutting-edge research across these fields.
"Over four decades, we've moved from hopelessness to hope, from stigma to science. I'm proud to have been part of this transformation," said Prof. Brodaty.
A call to action
In 2024, the Australian Government released its National Dementia Action Plan. Prof. Brodaty says there needs to be immediate investment in a National Dementia Risk Reduction Program, built on the proven Maintain Your Brain model.
It's time for a national movement for brain health, backed by research, scaled with urgency, and funded to save lives and money.
Professor Henry Brodaty AO
Australia cannot afford to delay. Investing in dementia prevention now will secure a healthier, more productive, equitable and resilient future for all Australians.
