About us
Welcome! We’re glad you’re here
The Forward with Dementia website was created to challenge negative stereotypes about dementia. It provides guidance after a diagnosis of dementia, and enables people with dementia and their carers to lead fulfilling lives with dementia.
The website seeks to change the narrative of ‘there is nothing that can be done’ to one that reinforces the strengths people with dementia have. It aims to motivate people to live as well as possible.
Forward with Dementia is brought to you by an international partnership of clinicians, researchers, people with dementia and carers across five countries: Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Poland and the UK. We share a common mission to better support people with dementia and carers after diagnosis.
Forward with Dementia is the result of an international research project, COGNISANCE.
COGNISANCE was awarded by the European Union (EU) Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), a global research initiative aimed at tackling the challenge of neurodegenerative diseases. JPND aims to increase coordination between participating countries in research aimed at finding causes, developing cures, and identifying appropriate ways to care for those with neurodegenerative diseases. National health and medical funding bodies in each country funded this work. The World Health Organisation, Alzheimer’s Disease International and Dementia Alliance International are collaborators.
The research team consists of an international collaboration lead by Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, Project Leader, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney.
The Australian team is:
- Professor Yun-Hee Jeon, University of Sydney
- Professor Lee-Fay Low, University of Sydney
- Associate Professor Lyn Phillipson, University of Wollongong
- Dr Meredith Gresham, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney
- Ms Nora Wong, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney
with research assistants:
- Dr Patricia Knight, University of Sydney
- Dr Amy Tan, University of Sydney
- Ms Issra Allam, University of Sydney
- Mr Jacky Zheng, University of Sydney
- Dr Danika Hall, University of Wollongong.
To contact the Australian research team, please email: forwardwithdementia@unsw.edu.au
International investigators include:
- Professor Isabelle Vedel, McGill University, Canada
- Associate Professor Carrie McAiney, University of Waterloo, Canada
- Professor Shelley Doucet, University of New Brunswick, Canada
- Professor Frans Verhey, Maastricht University, Netherlands
- Professor Greta Rait, University College London, UK
- Professor Dame Louise Robinson, Newcastle University, UK
- Professor Joanna Rymaszewska, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland
With collaborators:
- Ms Kate Swaffer, Dementia Alliance International
- Ms Wendy Weidner, Alzheimer’s Disease International
- Dr Katrin Seeher, World Health Organisation
We extend sincere thanks to the people living with dementia, carers and health professionals who have generously given of their time and expertise to contribute to this work.
Again, welcome. We invite you to explore this website and engage with us to make difference in the lives of people with dementia and those that provide support.
Please get involved by signing up to our newsletter and email us to improve this website and other Forward with Dementia program activities.