CHeBA’s Better Brain. Better Life public forum was, for the first time, taken to Western Sydney at an event generously hosted by Mounties on 19 August 2015.
The Better Brain. Better Life forums, made available to the community by Platinum Sponsor Genworth, are a series of public forums with entertaining and educational talks by leading experts in ageing. These forums are designed to provide strategies for better brain health and to work toward preventing or delaying cognitive decline.
The forum was opened by Chief Executive Officer of Mounties, Mr Greg Pickering, who delivered an interesting address and confirmed his support of free educational forums for its members and guests.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Genworth, Ellie Comerford, gave a welcoming address by video and encouraged everyone to adopt CHeBA’s Better Brain. Better Life strategies.
Ambassador for CHeBA, actor and entertainer PJ Lane, warmed the hearts of attendees with historical television footage of his father, Don Lane and gave a very personal insight into Alzheimer’s disease (which Don Lane was diagnosed with some years before he passed away).
MC for the event, Associate Professor Belinda Goodenough, delivered an expert talk titled ‘Your Brain and Dementia’ which provided fascinating statistics about the brain and encouraged the adopting of strategies to assist in preventing or delaying the onset of age-related cognitive disorders, such as dementia.
“It is never too early and never too late to be proactive about brain health,” explained Associate Professor Goodenough.
CHeBA’s Dr Nicole Kochan spoke on maximising memory, neurogenesis and how to implement memory strategies for a better life.
The forum also included presentations from internationally acclaimed experts in the field of ageing research, CHeBA’s Co-Director Professor Henry Brodaty and Professor Maria Fiatarone-Singh from the University of Sydney.
“Higher levels of muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness as well as moderate to vigorous weight lifting or aerobic exercise 3 days per week reduces your risk of dementia and improves brain health and function,” said Professor Fiatarone Singh.
Professor Brodaty said that the message of these talks is not only to showcase the complexities of the brain and CHeBA’s latest research, but also to encourage the personal implementation of strategies to reduce the risk of dementia and strive for better brain health.
The speaker slides from the Better Brain. Better Life forum at Mounties are available via the CHeBA website.
