Wicking Dementia Centre

13/10/2026

Have you taken advantage of the new Equip Aged Care Learning module, Nutrition and Dining?

Every older person has the right to an enjoyable dining experience.
You can support wellbeing, uphold rights, and make a meaningful difference to the way each older person experiences food and nutrition.

Find a short video, downloadable infographic (a taster below), and links to extra resources right now in Equip Aged Care Learning, to help you to do this.
🔗equiplearning.utas.edu.au
Funded by the Australian Government, Equip Aged Care Learning is free to access.

12/10/2026

We're at the Carers Event this Wednesday!

Heading to the Carers Event at the C3 Convention Centre in Hobart? Make sure you stop by and say hello to the Wicking Dementia Centre team.

Learn about our free online dementia courses, flexible study options, and education pathways designed to support carers, families, and aged care professionals.

We'd love to chat and help you find the right learning opportunity for you.

📍 C3 Convention Centre, Hobart
📅 Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 10.30am

12/10/2026

Wicking Dementia Centre neuroscientist Dr Matt Kirkcaldie explains the latest discovery that the human brain is two separate organs and what this means for research and treatments.

Click the link below to listen to Matt's interview with Ryk Goddard on ABC Hobart Breakfast. The interview starts at the 7-minute mark.

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/hobart-breakfast/breakfast/107245818

09/10/2026

Music Igniting Imagination 🎵
Be inspired by an uplifting afternoon of music while supporting dementia research and education.

Join us for a special concert featuring talented young Tasmanian musicians performing piano and cello in support of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. What began as a simple idea between two sisters, Min and Fei, sharing their love of music with those around them, has grown into a unique community project bringing together young musicians and audiences through the power of music.

Whether you're a music lover, passionate about supporting dementia research, or simply looking for a meaningful afternoon out, this concert promises a memorable experience for all ages.

📅 Sunday 22 November 2026
🕒 3:00 pm
📍 Hobart Town Hall
🎟️ Tickets are now available. Reserve your place today:
Book your tickets here https://musicinnature.com.au/concert

Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy beautiful live performances and help make a difference in the lives of people living with dementia. Seats are limited, so book early! 🎶

08/10/2026

Congratulations to PhD student Julia Giffard and Wicking Dementia Centre co-authors for not only the publication of their article in GeroScience: Motor speech markers of Alzheimer’s risk, but also for TAS Test being a finalist in the Australia Eureka Science Prize.

In a 10-second speech test, older adults repeated simple sounds such as “pa, pa, pa” while their voices were recorded. Using data from more than 300 Tasmanian participants, researchers found that artificial intelligence could detect subtle speech changes linked to early Alzheimer's risk factors, even in people with no signs of cognitive impairment, suggesting these changes may be present years before dementia develops.

The findings suggest that a quick, low-cost remote speech test could help identify people at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease earlier, highlighting the potential of everyday speech as a digital biomarker for early detection.

Motor changes are increasingly recognized as part of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) phenotype, yet motor speech function and its clinical utility for early AD risk stratification remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study investigated whether measures of motor speech performance in home-based ...

03/10/2026

🧠 Ever wondered how your brain creates your reality?

Join Professor James Vickers and Dr Matt Kirkcaldie for an insightful conversation about The Projecting Brain and a fascinating new theory of consciousness.

📅 Sunday 18 October 2026
⏰ 2:30pm – 3:30pm
📍 Fullers Bookshop, Hobart
🎫Book your ticket here: https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/1646974

Discover how our brains construct the world we experience and what this means for brain health, dementia, and our relationship with technology.

🎟️ Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion with two leading neuroscientists.

It is apparent that most people don’t spend much time thinking about their brains and this most important of organs provides them with all of their hu

03/10/2026

🌿New Dementia-Inclusive Nature Program Launching in Chigwell🌿

Join Conservation Volunteers Australia as they launch the CVA Nature Hub, a welcoming outdoor program for people living with dementia, their carers, and community volunteers.

Starting 5 October, weekly sessions at Chigwell Community Garden will feature gentle gardening, nature walks, wildlife observation, creative activities, and shared morning tea, providing opportunities to connect with nature, community, and the local environment.

Come along to the launch event, meet the project partners and volunteers, and discover the benefits of spending time outdoors together. 🌱💚

Discover more here: https://ventureout.dementia.utas.edu.au/page/636

02/10/2026

📢 ISLAND is coming to Burnie!
Join us for a free ISLAND seminar and hear directly from our researchers about the latest findings from ISLAND and related studies.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about the research, connect with other ISLAND participants, meet members of the team, and ask questions during a dedicated Q&A session. Light refreshments will be provided.
🎤 Presentations include:
• Dr Eddy Roccati – ISLAND updates and emerging findings from the INSIGHT study
• Dr Hannah Fair – Findings from the ISLAND Network Study
• Dr Duncan Sinclair – What we're learning about life stress and Parkinson's disease
• Christine Jordan – ISLAND Community Advisory Group
📅 Friday 9 October 2026
🕒 3:00pm–4:00pm Presentation and Q&A
☕ 4:00pm–4:30pm Refreshments
📍 Room 126, Field Building, West Park Campus, Burnie
Places are limited, so be sure to register before bookings close.
👉 Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-island-seminar-burnie-huffe4wn

01/10/2026

🧠 COTA - Science Bites Luncheon at the Wicking Dementia Centre 🥪

Today’s Science Bites Luncheon brought together curious minds for an inspiring afternoon of research, conversation and discovery.

Attendees heard from researchers exploring topics including dementia-friendly home design, personalised brain health insights through the INSIGHT Project, the brain’s vascular system and its role in healthy ageing, and the global impact of the Parkinson’s MOOC.

The event concluded with a lively Meet the Researchers session over lunch, giving guests the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and connect with the people driving innovation in brain health, ageing and dementia research.

A wonderful afternoon of great food, great conversations, and great science! 🧠✨

28/09/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Kelsey Madden and our Wicking Dementia Centre co-authors!

We're delighted to celebrate the publication of their new paper in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction: Barriers and facilitators for recovery: A qualitative analysis of older Australians’ disaster experiences
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2026.106326

As climate change drives more frequent and intense disasters, understanding how people recover has never been more important. This study explored the experiences of 20 older Australians who have lived through disasters.

The research identified five key themes:
✅ Immediate disaster experiences cannot be anticipated
✅ Survivors’ needs are often left unfulfilled
✅ Communities come together to support recovery
✅ Preparation is critical
✅ Recovery looks different for every individual

The findings highlight the value of listening to and learning from older peoples lived experiences. They also support recovery initiatives that are person-centred, strengthen communities, and recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery.

👏 Congratulations to Kelsey and the research team on this important contribution to disaster recovery research.