Key takeaways from a Dementia Friendly Woollahra information session 

What happens to the brain as we age, and what can we actually do about it? That was the question at the heart of our latest Dementia Friendly Woollahra session, held at the Bay Room during Woollahra Festival of Fun 2026. 
 
Three researchers from UNSW joined us to share what the science says: Dr. Frederic von Wegner, neurologist and neuroscience lecturer; Dr. Russell Chander, Research Fellow; and Dr. Katya Numbers, co-director of the Mental Health Practice Masters program. Here’s what we learned.
 
 

Your brain is an organ, treat it like one

Speaker: Dr. Frederic von Wegner, Neurologist & Neuroscience Lecturer, UNSW Sydney 

We often think of the brain as something separate, but Dr. von Wegner was clear: the brain is a physical organ, and it depends entirely on the rest of the body to function. It needs oxygen from the lungs, nutrients from food, and a steady supply of blood. When any of those systems are compromised, through fever, kidney dysfunction, or poor cardiovascular health, the brain suffers too. 
 
The connection that matters most, he explained, is the heart and blood vessels. As we age, deposits build up on arterial walls, making blood vessels less elastic and more prone to forming clots. This raises blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of stroke, and stroke is directly linked to vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia.
 
 

Blood pressure: the silent risk factor 

High blood pressure rarely announces itself. You won’t feel it on a regular day, which is exactly why Dr. von Wegner called it “the silent killer.” His advice: measure it regularly at home, note the values, and share them with your GP. 
 
Lifestyle changes that support healthy blood pressure include: 
  • Maintaining a healthy weight 
  • Reducing salt intake 
  • Regular walking, two hours per week can reduce cardiovascular risk by up to 50% 
Some people will also need medication because genetics play a role, and lifestyle changes alone aren’t always enough. 
What the research says about what we can change 
 
A landmark 2024 Lancet Commission report identified 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia. Dr. von Wegner highlighted three clusters: optimising education in early life; keeping the brain active through learning and mental stimulation; and protecting cardiovascular health by managing cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and air quality (including quitting smoking). 
 

Some cognitive skills actually get sharper with age 

The picture of ageing and cognition is far more nuanced than we’re often led to believe. Yes, processing speed and abstract problem-solving tend to slow with age. But language skills, vocabulary and emotional and social reasoning often get better. This is called by researchers “crystallised intelligence.” 
 
Brain imaging studies also show that older adults who use both hemispheres of the brain to complete a task – rather than just one side, as younger people typically do – can outperform their younger counterparts. Change isn’t the same as decline. 
 
 

A chat a day keeps the dementia away 

Speaker: Dr. Russell Chander, Research Fellow, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney 

Of all the modifiable risk factors for dementia in later life, social isolation sits at the top of the list. That’s what drives Dr. Russell Chander’s research, and it’s why he came to share it with us. 

Why connection protects the brain

Social interaction is exercise for the brain. Conversation, debate, emotional attunement are cognitively demanding activities that strengthen neural pathways and build cognitive reserve. People who are more socially connected also tend to have healthier lifestyles, lower stress levels and reduced rates of depression and anxiety. 
 

It’s not about how many people you know 

Dr. Chander outlined four dimensions of social connection that matter for brain health: 
Structure: How often you have interactions, not how many people you know. At least once a week is a useful benchmark, though what matters most is what works for you. 
 
  • Function: The kinds of interactions you have: intellectual, emotional, practical, and the roles people play (friends, family, confidants, carers).  
  • Quality: How you feel about your social life. Loneliness is a subjective experience; you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely. Research shows that loneliness significantly increases the risk of dementia. 
  • Community: Feeling connected to your neighbourhood, local groups, and the broader community. Attending events, volunteering, and being part of shared spaces all contribute to cognitive resilience. 
 

Empathy as a brain skill 

Dr. Chander’s PhD research explored social cognition, the set of skills we use to read social situations, understand others’ perspectives and act with empathy. This is not a soft skill; it’s a cognitive one, and it declines with dementia. 
 
The good news: like any cognitive skill, empathy can be exercised. The more we practise genuine connection with others, including people quite different from ourselves, the easier it becomes. And the easier it becomes, the more we do it. It’s a virtuous cycle. 
 
 
 

Mood, stress and the ageing brain 

Speaker: Dr. Katya Numbers, Co-Director, Mental Health Practice Masters, CHeBA, UNSW Sydney 
Dr. Katya Numbers opened with a challenge: what comes to mind when you hear the word ‘elderly’? What Google images show, what advertising assumes and what many of us have internalised is a picture of inevitable decline -fragile, dependent, sad. But the research tells a very different story. 
 

Ageing is emotional refinement, not decline 

A study drawing on data from 132 countries and nearly half a million participants found that life satisfaction follows a U-shaped curve: it dips in midlife, then rises again from around 50. Older adults tend to be more emotionally resilient, less reactive to negative stimuli, quicker to recover, and more attuned to positive experiences. Vocabulary, semantic knowledge, and social intelligence all continue to grow. This is not a consolation prize; it is a distinct form of cognitive strength. 

 

The real cost of chronic stress 

Stress is not just an emotional experience, it is a physiological one. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, directly affects the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory. Chronic stress shrinks it. It disrupts sleep, increases inflammation, elevates blood pressure, and depletes the neurotransmitters that regulate mood. Over time, this compounds into measurable cognitive decline. 
 
Negative beliefs about ageing amplify this. Research by Professor Becca Levy at Yale found that people who held more negative expectations about getting older were roughly twice as likely to develop dementia, and lived an average of 7.5 fewer years. The stories we tell ourselves about ageing have real biological consequences. 
 

Depression in older adults is often missed 

Symptoms of depression and anxiety in older people are frequently overlooked: misattributed to physical illness, dismissed as a natural response to life circumstances or minimised by people who don’t want to be a burden. But depression is not a normal part of ageing. It is a health condition, and it deserves the same attention at 75 as it does at 35. 
 

Small steps with real impact 

Dr. Numbers closed with a practical framework she calls “the loop.” How isolation, low mood and inactivity can reinforce each other, but also how easily it can be broken. Her suggestions: 
 
  • Find purpose: Even something small, a role, a routine, a contribution to your community. 
  • Stay connected: Go to events. Say yes to the invitation. Exchange a number. Depth matters, but breadth adds up too. 
  • Move your body: 120 minutes a week. Walking, gardening, housework are enough to make a measurable difference. 
  • Challenge the narrative: When you catch yourself thinking “that’s just part of getting old,” push back. Most of the time, it isn’t. 
  • Take low mood seriously: If you or someone you know is struggling, it’s worth talking to a GP. It is not inevitable, and it is treatable. 

Key takeaways 

  • The brain is a physical organ. Cardiovascular health, diet, and sleep all directly affect how it functions. 
  • Blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Measure it regularly and discuss the results with your GP. 
  • Walking for two hours a week can cut cardiovascular risk by up to 50%. It’s free, and Sydney is beautiful. 
  • Social isolation is one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for dementia in later life. Connection — meaningful, regular and varied. 
  • Chronic stress and loneliness have real physiological effects. They are not just feelings. 
  • Ageing brings cognitive gains too: richer language, sharper social reasoning and greater emotional resilience. 
  • It is never too early or too late to act. Diet, movement, connection, sleep, and mood all matter at every age. 

Resources & support