Dementia Action Week: Are you talking about dementia risk reduction?

Dementia Action Week runs from 21–27 September 2026, with this year’s theme – It’s time to talk about dementia.

It’s a timely opportunity to put a spotlight on dementia and ask: are you familiar with the modifiable risk factors for dementia, and are you talking about them with your patients?

While not all dementia can be prevented, up to 45% of dementia cases globally could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the life course.

These include hearing loss, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, social isolation, depression, obesity, traumatic brain injury, air pollution, untreated vision loss and lower levels of education.

Many of these are already part of the conversations primary care clinicians have every day. Talking about them through the lens of brain health is another opportunity to increase understanding of dementia, reduce stigma and support people to take practical steps to reduce their risk.

• Healthy North Coast’s updated Living with dementia on the North Coast booklet
• Dementia and cognitive impairment on HealthPathways
• Dementia risk reduction resources from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
• Dementia Training Australia – free dementia education, training and CPD for health and aged care professionals.

This Dementia Action Week, make brain health and dementia risk reduction part of the conversation with your patients.