I was a psychiatrist, mainly interested in depression and mood disorders and then in 1979 my father died at the age of 59 with Alzheimer's disease and it had a big effect on me.
I got involved with setting up the Alzheimer's Association, now called Dementia Australia, became involved in research and now in prevention of dementia as well and continuing to work clinically.
In 2012, Professor Perminda Sachdev and I established the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing or CHeBA, at University of NSW.
There were just two of us who did this and now we have over 60 people all focusing on those different aspects, looking at the genetics, looking at the changes in the proteins in the blood, looking at brain imaging, looking at the social determinants of health and we are also involved in helping people manage the behavioural changes that occur in dementia.
Dementia is a National Health priority.
There are over 430, 000 people with dementia in Australia now and with the ageing of our society that's set to double by mid century and we can do something about that.
By attending to lifestyle risk factors we can improve people's cognition and delay the onset of dementia.
We need a national programme, a healthy brain promotion programme for all Australians, with awareness, with online coaching, with techniques for people to improve their brain health.
Dementia has been an area of darkness and we shouldn't protest about the darkness, we should light a candle.
I would like to inspire people to think about their brain health throughout their life.
Don't wait till you're getting old, plan for it in the future and it's what you do throughout your life will have a major impact on your brain health.
Professor Henry Brodaty is transforming the diagnosis, care and prevention of dementia – improving countless lives, both in Australia and around the world.
In 1972, Henry’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at just 52 years old. At that time, dementia was poorly understood and often ignored. People living with dementia and carers had little support and no pathway forward.
His father’s experience catalysed a lifetime of work that not only revolutionised Henry’s own field of psychiatry, but also the lives of people living with dementia and their families.
In 2012, Henry co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing and led internationally significant research that enhanced the world’s understanding of risk and prevention. His large Maintain Your Brain trial demonstrated that straightforward, cost-effective, targeted interventions can profoundly delay onset and even prevent dementia.
Henry is a leader who has reshaped dementia care from every angle as he navigates toward a future where dementia is better treated and prevented.
Learn more about positive ageing at health.gov.au/positive-ageing