Two-thirds of people living with dementia are currently living at home, and want to stay there.
Supporting this choice isn’t just about respecting individual preferences – keeping people living well at home for longer can serve to ease pressure on a strained aged care system.
This is the thinking behind a new program – Living Well – that we’ve developed in partnership with Woodbridge Retirement Village.
Underpinned by research, the pilot aims to keep people living at home longer by proactively supporting good brain health.
Cognitive changes and dementia are not contained within aged care. They live within our neighbourhoods, our shopping centres, our cafes and our streets. Within our retirement communities.
The question we need to be asking isn’t, “where should people with dementia live?” It’s, “How do we create communities where people with dementia can continue to live well?”
Changes in the brain linked to dementia often begin years before diagnosis, before symptoms like cognitive decline begin to show. We know that focusing on modifiable lifestyle factors can delay the incidence of some forms of dementia.
Dementia risk is shaped by how we live, not just how we age
While age is the strongest risk factor for dementia, many others come into play. The Living Well program focuses on lifestyle changes that can reap positive benefits for brain health. Run by the Living Well Coordinator, the program consists of evidence-based education and activities designed to support a healthy brain.
These might be good nutrition in the form of a Mediterranean diet, walking groups for physical wellness and social connection, sparking creativity through art and music or ways to achieve better sleep habits.
Expertise embedded onsite
Our Living Well Coordinator works with staff and residents to provide access to the right support at the right time for people who are experiencing changes, including liaising with external services and healthcare teams.
Our goal is to demonstrate that a proactive approach to brain health can keep people living independently as long as possible, including reducing hospital admissions or delaying entry into residential aged care.
People taking part in the program enjoy many other benefits – from increased physical and mental wellbeing and enjoying greater social connection, to creative expression through art and music and improved mood. Together these result in meaningful enhancements to quality of life – for all residents, not just those living with dementia.
We will present the initial findings from this pilot together with Paul Thorne from Woodbridge, in concurrent stream C on day 2 at the International Dementia Conference 2026, showing that holistic, proactive interventions such as these can make a tangible difference for older people living independently.
If you are interested in this model for your retirement village or independent living setting, get in touch!