These four changes could help delay the onset of dementia

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They may be entering their twilight years, but Paddy Goldsmith and her husband Jeff are embracing a new way of life.

The couple are cooking, and exercising their body and minds in an effort to reduce their dementia risk.

“Unfortunately, we have a number of friends with dementia or are caring for people with dementia and seeing the way it affected people, it’s encouraged me to learn what I can and maybe we can prevent it in ourselves,” 82-year-old Paddy told SBS News.

For three years, the Goldsmiths took part in a world-first Australian trial aimed at preventing cognitive decline.

“The way the course was presented, it made it possible to make it a way of life,” Paddy said.

The Maintain Your Brain study tracked more than 6,000 people aged 55 to 77 across metropolitan, rural and remote Australia for three years.

The online lifestyle intervention program was the largest internet-based trial in this space and found making changes in four key areas could delay the onset of dementia.

An elderly man and woman picking vegetables in their garden.

Jeff (left) and Paddy (right) hope the lifestyle changes they’ve made will prevent the onset of dementia. Source: SBS News / Catriona Stirrat

Changes in four areas could delay dementia

Professor Henry Brodaty, the co-director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at the University of New South Wales, led the research.

“We know that 45 per cent of the risk of dementia is caused by environmental factors, things that we can do something about,” he told SBS News.

“These are things like physical activity, unhealthy diet, people who have had less education, less brain development or cognitive activities.”

The study participants were asked to make changes in four key areas:

Physical activity: Including cardio, strength, and balance training.
Nutrition: Participants were advised to follow a Mediterranean diet.
Brain training: 45-minute sessions of brain training, targeting cognitive domains, including visual and verbal memory.
Peace of mind: Including a digital mental health program aiming to reduce depression and anxiety.

Half of them received online coaching and support, while the others received publicly available information.

Brodaty said the course resulted in improved cognition in older adults for both groups.

“At the end of year three, we found both groups improved, but we found the group with coaching had improved even more than the active controls,” he said.

“We estimate that’s equivalent to delaying the onset of dementia for about a year. We can’t prove that yet, but with a much longer follow up we hope to prove that.”

Dementia expected to become Australia’s leading cause of death

More than 421,000 Australians live with dementia.

Under current projections, it’s expected to overtake heart disease as .

Dr David Sykes, head of Dementia Australia, said the research emphasised the need to boost community awareness.

“We’ve got good examples in this country of health messaging and led the world in that, in fact. And I think there’s an opportunity to apply that in the dementia context around exercise, around diet, around brain training and cognitive function,” Sykes told SBS News.

“We also need the government to step up and take a greater responsibility in promoting greater public health awareness messages on this.”

Paddy and Jeff said that, while their efforts don’t mean they’re immune, they feel good about doing everything possible to reduce their risks.

“Growing old is not for the faint of heart. And I think if we can maintain the quality of life — which we are, have and look forward to — that’s the important thing.”