The Forward with Dementia website was created to challenge negative stereotypes about dementia. It seeks to change the narrative that there is ‘nothing that can be done’ to one that reinforces the strengths of people with dementia and families to not only come to terms with dementia, but to lead fulfilling lives.
This website was created with people living with dementia, their families and health professionals, to provide guidance after a diagnosis of dementia.
For medical and health professionals, there is expert guidance from some of the world’s most renown clinicians support giving a diagnosis of dementia with compassion and hope and tools to support people in the first months following diagnosis.
Forward with Dementia was originally created during 2020-22 by an international partnership of clinicians, researchers, people living with dementia and carers across five countries: Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Poland and the UK through a research project named COGNISANCE. We support the adage of people living with dementia “nothing about us, without us.” The content and layout of this website was co-created with people living with dementia and families
Forward with Dementia was developed in Australia by a research team from UNSW Sydney, and the Universities of Sydney and Wollongong. While the project was completed in 2022, all five international websites have continued to grow and expand as new information and discoveries about dementia arise.
The 2025-6 update of the Australian Forward with Dementia website now includes advances in pharmacologic and psychosocial therapies. In 2025/2026 we have been joined by research and clinical colleagues from the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne who have been instrumental in a new section of the website that explores post-diagnostic support for the unique needs of people with Young Onset Dementia and families. The new content and layout of this website has been co-created with people living with young-onset dementia and their families. We would like to thank Luke C and Liz G (carers, from Victoria), Karen G and Isabelle B (former carers, from Victoria); Chris M (carer, from NSW); Vicki B and Amy M (carers, from WA); and Bill Yeates and Craig M (living with young-onset dementia, NSW). Our dear friend and dementia advocate, Bobby Redmond who lived with dementia was also involved.
We acknowledge and thank all those with lived experience for their incredible, and ongoing contributions.
The original COGNISANCE project was awarded by the European Union (EU) Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research [https://neurodegenerationresearch.eu/] a global research initiative aimed at tackling the challenge of neurodegenerative diseases. We gratefully acknowledge a generous private donation by Ms Christine Rowell-Miller and the support of the Mandy and Gary Lovell through the Lovell Foundation to enable this update of Forward with Dementia.
The update of Forward with Dementia was written by:
- Dr Meredith Gresham Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney and The University of Wollongong
- Dr Priscilla Tjokrowijoto and Assoc Professor Samantha Loi of the Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuropsychiatry Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne
- Professor Lee-Fay Low of the University of Sydney
The original Forward with Dementia research team was led by Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, Co-director Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney, with an Australian investigator team:
- Professor Lee-Fay Low, University of Sydney
- Professor Yun-Hee Jeon, 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
International investigators were:
- 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
And collaborators:
- Ms Kate Swaffer, Dementia Alliance International
- Ms Wendy Weidner, Alzheimer’s Disease International
- Dr Katrin Seeher, World Health Organisation