A warm hello to you all again.  

We hope you are doing well. We are pleased to share that one of our StepUp Project Advisory Board Members, Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, has been honoured as the 2026 Senior Australian of the Year. This award recognises the outstanding contributions of all senior nominees, who represent a remarkable range of fields including meteorology, sound design, botany, environmental advocacy, volunteering, and women’s football.  These individuals have dedicated a lifetime to making Australia better. However, our everyday actions make a difference, too. Simple acts of kindness—smiling at a passerby, checking in on a neighbour, or lending a hand at the shops—help strengthen our communities and enrich the lives of those around us. 

In this month’s article highlight, we look at a paper exploring “Super Ageing,” which goes beyond the definition of having exceptional cognitive abilities relative to similar aged peers. For the Aussie “Super‑Agers” interviewed, ageing well also meant staying connected and involved in community activities. This reminds us that everyone can contribute to society in meaningful ways, regardless of our age or the scale of our involvement. 

Dementia Pioneer Named 2026 Senior Australian of the Year

Image: Australian Ageing Agenda / UNSW (2026)

At 78, Professor Brodaty has spent decades shaping the way Australia, and the world, understands dementia. It started with his father being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at just 52 years old; and watching his mother care for him. In his acceptance speech, Professor Brodaty reiterated calls for a national strategy on brain health – “we need the Slip, Slop, Slap of brain health”, he said. His commitment to finding treatments for dementia, and better ways to help people with dementia and their families, has been lifelong.  Professor Brodaty is a champion for StepUp for Research, as he understands that the significant cost and effort of finding and screening participants is a barrier to research progress. StepUp for Research is helping to revolutionise the way researchers connect with volunteers. Every time you recommend StepUp to a friend, you are taking part in this revolution.   

Meet our new Public Involvement Panel member - Matthew Roome

Generations of Matt's family have lived or are living with Dementia, leaving him acutely aware of the need for greater public awareness and understanding, and ongoing research.   He was introduced to StepUp through his son's participation in a pilot for the Teens4Dementia program. Exactly the sort of initiative Matt is keen to support.  Professionally, Matt's background is in corporate sales and recruitment.  

Most recently he took his passion for improving the carer experience into a role with a large financial services firm. There he helped to launch and grow a new Aged Care Navigation service; supporting families to arrange the formal, paid care they need.

New Studies on StepUp for Research

Enhancing Navigation and Access to Cognitive-Friendly Technology: Many people with dementia find technology frustrating and hard to use. This means they often stop using helpful technology altogether. The research team from University of Queensland would like to understand why people with dementia often struggle to use technology like phones, tablets, and computers. They will use what they learn to create a guide that helps technology designers make products that work better for everyone. Your participation will help: 1) Make technology easier for people with dementia; 2) Guide designers to create more user-friendly products; 3) Improve access to helpful technology for future users. 

The Living with Anxiety Study: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in Australia. For many people, anxiety becomes more challenging with age, leading to significant disability and burden. The Living with Anxiety (LwA) Study is exploring how our genes influence anxiety and how well common treatments work. Because anxiety often changes across the lifespan, the experiences of older Australians are especially valuable to this research. The researchers from the Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research invite older Australians to take part and help them better understand the relationship between ageing, anxiety, and genetics. 

Perspectives on Intelligent Assistive Technology: The researchers at the Western Sydney University want to understand how people living with dementia feel about assistive technologies that use artificial intelligence (AI). These tools might help with daily activities such as drinking enough water, taking medication, doing leisure activities, or staying in touch with family and friends. They want to learn what types of support people feel helpful and acceptable, and what types do not. By hearing directly from people living with dementia, they hope to guide the design of technologies that are more supportive, respectful, and person-centred. 

Dementia Caregiver Experiences in Australia - A Survey Study: Caregivers of people with dementia often experience high levels of social isolation and loneliness, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and poorer overall wellbeing. These challenges may be even greater for caregivers from ethnic minority backgrounds, who may also encounter language barriers, cultural expectations, and limited access to support services. Although these issues are increasingly recognised, there is still limited understanding of the specific factors that influence social isolation and loneliness in culturally diverse caregiver populations. The research team from Macquarie University aims to examine the cultural and psychological factors that contribute to social isolation and loneliness among family caregivers from Chinese-speaking and Anglo-Saxon/English-speaking backgrounds in Australia who care for a family member with dementia. 

Note: If you are interested in any of the studies mentioned and have not registered on StepUp for Research yet, the first step is to sign up here. 

IN THE NEWS

What do Older Adults think of Super Agers?

We have each met or likely know someone in their 80s or beyond, who appears happily young at heart, brighter and fitter than their advanced years. These lucky folk are what scientists term “super-agers” – defined as individuals aged over 80 with mental faculties that more closely resemble someone middle aged. Indeed, most of the literature on Super Agers has focused on their exceptional cognitive abilities.  However, a recently published Australian study was the first to ask older adults themselves, what do they consider to constitute “super-ageing”? Read more about the research here.

Hearing Loss May Hasten Cognitive Decline

Hearing loss can seem just like an inevitable part of ageing for some. However, the evidence is more serious. Untreated hearing loss is now recognised as one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline.  A new study found that even mild hearing loss in midlife may accelerate brain aging, impact cognitive function, and significantly increase dementia risk. Read more about the research here.

All About StepUp for Research

Upcoming Conferences/Events

Raising the Bar Sydney – NSW (in‑person): Professor Yun‑Hee Jeon will present What does it mean to live well with dementia? This public talk will take place on Thursday 7 May, 6:30–7:15 pm at Keg & Brew, Surry Hills, as part of the Raising the Bar Sydney program. More information and registration here.

Darwin Seniors Expo 2026 – NT (in‑person): COTA NT is hosting the Darwin Seniors Expo 2026 at the Territory Netball Stadium in Marrara, offering a free community event on 27 June for older Territorians to connect with services, activities and local organisations. More information here.

Alice Springs Seniors Expo 2026 – NT (in‑person): COTA NT will hold the Alice Springs Seniors Expo 2026 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre on 12 August as a free-entry community event celebrating and supporting older residents. More information here.

Australian Dementia Research Forum 2026 – NSW (in‑person): The Australian Dementia Research Forum 2026 will be held from 1–3 June in Sydney, bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers and people with lived experience to share the latest advances in dementia research, care and prevention. Hosted by the Australian Dementia Network, this is Australia’s premier annual dementia research event. More information here.

International Dementia Conference 2026 – NSW (in‑person): The International Dementia Conference 2026 will be held on 4–5 June in Sydney, featuring leading national and international speakers across dementia care, palliative care and positive ageing. The conference is well‑known for its strong mix of clinical, research and lived‑experience perspectives. More information here.

Positive Ageing Summit 2026 – SA (in‑person): The Positive Ageing Summit 2026 will take place on 20–21 May in Adelaide, providing a national forum focused on reablement, mental health, nutrition and holistic approaches to healthy ageing. The summit brings together aged care leaders, clinicians, policymakers and innovators from across Australia. More information here.

Dementia Support Australia Education Events (online): Dementia Support Australia runs an ongoing program of free and low‑cost online education sessions for health professionals, carers and service providers, focusing on evidence‑based dementia care, behaviour support and workforce development. More information here.

Healthy Ageing Summit 2026 – QLD (in‑person/hybrid): The Healthy Ageing Summit 2026 will be held on 29–30 May on the Gold Coast, bringing together allied health, fitness, wellness and health professionals to explore evidence‑based strategies for supporting healthy ageing and longevity across midlife and older adulthood. More information here. 

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