Australia needs more investment in dementia research to tackle productivity losses, leading researcher says

A leading Australian researcher said that Australia needs a “slip, slop, slap” approach for brain health to help prevent this rampant syndrome.

Urgent action is needed to fight the “darkness” of dementia, as the deadly condition threatens to affect 850,000 Australians by 2058, a leading brain researcher has said.

Dementia is estimated to cost Australia’s economy $18bn each year, a figure that will more than double to $37bn in 25 years.

But Professor Henry Brodaty spoke to the National Press Club on Wednesday about the need for a new approach to tackling brain health.

He said tackling the syndrome would increase productivity in Australia, and delaying the effects of it would allow people to work longer, especially as the workforce ages.

A new approach was needed with increased investment to become a world leader in preventing or delaying dementia onset, he said.

Professor Brodaty said Australia needs the “slip, slop, slap” of brain health. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Think about the slip, slop, slap for skin health,” he said.

“We need the slip, slop, slap of brain health, now.

“Funding for dementia has lagged behind cancer and heart disease, even though it contributes more to disease burden.

“Research is critical to find the best ways to provide services efficiently.”

He said dementia develops in Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders at 2-5 times the rate of the rest of the population, and suggested steps to counter this.

“Better care before, during and after pregnancy, and in early childhood, and particularly more education, could make a difference to this,” he said.

Professor Brodaty said personalised coaching programs improved brain cognition, and increased people’s fitness — pushing back the onset of dementia by a year or more.

He said this could save Australia billions.

Professor Brodaty said Australia’s dementia research is underfunded. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Imagine what the return on investment would be if Australia did this?” he asked.

“Improving fitness, not only would improve cognition, it would improve fitness, physical, mental and social health.”

But Professor Brodaty said Australia’s National Dementia Action Plan has only $166m in funding, “too little for what Australia needs”.

“I sympathise with the government, because there’s always competing priorities and there’s always other things that can be funded,” he said.

“But, when it makes sense economically, as well as personally to people, then why not do it?”

Originally published as Australia needs more investment in dementia research to tackle productivity losses, leading researcher says