The Dementia Research Project

Eloy van Hal is the Co-Founder of The Hogeweyk ,  Netherlands pioneering dementia village. With over 20 years of experience in elderly and dementia care, Eloy brings deep expertise in innovative, community-based care concepts from around the world. In this episode, Eloy discusses the journey of transforming traditional dementia care into a more humanizing, community-based approach in the Netherlan...

Dr. Mai Nguyen is a trailblazer in neurotechnology, pioneering advancements in non-invasive light therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and dementia. As CEO and Co-founder of OptoCeutics , Dr. Nguyen leads the charge in bridging the gap between neuroscience and therapeutic innovation, offering new hope to millions affected by cognitive decline. In this episode, Dr Mai discusses her pioneering w...

Mike Banville is CEO of ALZpath ; a company on a mission to change how we detect Alzheimer’s, earlier and more accessibly. With a career spent leading & growing companies across healthcare and technology, Mike now brings his leadership to a cause that affects millions of families around the world. In this episode we learn how Mike and his team at ALZpath are making diagnostics more accessible...

Professor Chris Fox, a psychiatrist and internationally recognised expert in ageing, dementia care, and health services research. He is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Exeter and co-leads the SPLENDID project —one of the UK’s largest studies exploring how social prescribing can support people living with dementia. With decades of experience translating research into real-worl...

Sally Hopkins is the Executive Director of Eden Alternative Australia & New Zealand . She leads the organization’s efforts to transform aged and community care through a person-directed, relationship-focused approach that aims to eliminate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom among elders. With an MBA and extensive experience, Sally champions cultural change in care environments to create mea...

Join us as we delve into an enlightening conversation with Pam Speta, the founder of Forget Me Not Village . This podcast explores her personal journey from caring for her husband with dementia to building a revolutionary dementia care village. Learn about her inspirations, challenges, and the impact of Teepa Snow's dementia care approach.   

Dr Margaret Pozzebon is a speech pathologist with extensive experience in the clinical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and practical management of adults with diagnosed with various rarer forms of dementia: such as primary progressive aphasia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s-plus conditions, and Alzheimer’s Disease. She works with clients and their families from early diagnosis through...

Associate Professor Tuan Nguyen is a Dementia Research Development Fellow focused on national dementia strategies and culturally tailored interventions for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).  With a PhD from the University of New South Wales, he has led international research initiatives, published more than 100 works, and secured over $16 million in funding to address dementia challenges i...

Prudence Chan is a clinical director, occupational therapist, and dementia care specialist with extensive experience in her field. She contributes as a visiting dementia care consultant to initiatives focused on developing innovative care environments that incorporate AI technology, such as humanoid robots, robotic pets, and virtual reality (VR) Follow the Dementia Research Project wherever you ii...

Linda Sommerlade serves as the Head of Operations at GT Diagnostics, a collaboration between Genting Berhad, a Malaysian company, and TauRx Pharmaceuticals Ltd Group, with a mission to develop tools for the early diagnosis and monitoring of dementia progression. With approximately 20 years of experience in the Life Sciences industry, Dr. Sommerlade oversees the development of all products at GT Di...

Gan Chong Shyan is the Project Director of  Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM). ADFM is a non-profit organization established in 1997, dedicated to raising awareness about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in Malaysia. The foundation focuses on several key objectives including public awareness, care services, support for caregivers and research promotion. Learn more about...

John Ramsay is the Managing Director of Social Ability , a company focused on enhancing the quality of life for individuals with cognitive challenges, particularly those affected by dementia. His personal experience caring for his father with dementia inspired him to transition from a corporate law career to the care industry, where he developed interactive light technology to promote engagement....

Colin Pudsey is the CEO and Founder of SilVR Adventures , a company that enhances seniors' lives through virtual reality experiences. With a background in sales and marketing, to building and selling his first company, Colin now champions the benefits of virtual reality in aged care. Colin shares how his company is revolutionizing aged care with virtual reality (VR) experiences. Discover Colin's j...

Ross Killeen is an award-winning Irish filmmaker and the founder of the production company Motherland . His latest documentary, Don't Forget to Remember , highlights the personal impact of Alzheimer’s disease and has received acclaim for its moving portrayal of those affected. In this episode  Ross shares about his filmmaking journey, the challenges faced in creating this moving portrayal, and the...

Pei Lin is a documentary filmmaker from Singapore who believes in the transformative power of storytelling to spark change, creating ripples that resonate across time. Her work has taken her from documenting a sprawling petroleum megastructure in Malaysia to the intimate home of a second-generation refugee in Hong Kong. Previously, as a producer at Our Better World—a non-profit digital storytellin...

Bruce Elliott is the CEO and Co-Founder of Memory Lane Games , an engagement app on a mission to improve the quality of life of those living with dementia all over the world, . He has a twenty-year track record of building world-class, innovative companies across various sectors. In this episode we learn about the inspiration behind Memory Lane Games app, which uses quiz-style games based on perso...

Ramani Sundaram is a distinguished neuroscientist and a dedicated advocate for dementia care. As the Deputy Director at Nightingales Medical Trust and Dementia India Alliance , she is pivotal in advancing care practices and raising awareness across India. In this conversation Ramani shares about the impact of dementia on individuals and their families across India, and the innovative initiatives u...

In this episode of the Dementia Research Project, we dive into the dementia education and research with Professor James Vickers, Director of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Center at the University of Tasmania. We discuss the center's mission, the impact of MOOCs, dementia risk reduction initiatives like the ISLAND Project, the potential of blood-based biomarkers, and the role of AI in...

Cailey Massey is the Founder of Artfull Enrichment , a membership-based online platform where senior living communities can enrich their recreational programming and support individual older adults to explore new areas of interest-  promoting lifelong learning, social connectivity, and self-expression. Follow Artfull Enrichment on Instagram  and follow Cailey on Linkedin  and she can be reached vi...

Dr Gary Cheung is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Auckland. He conducts research in the field of old age psychiatry and has been instrumental in introducing to New Zealand- cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), an evidence based non-pharmacological intervention for dementia. You can reach out to Dr. Gary via email  g.cheung@auckland.ac.nz . Check out the resources mentione...

Pelden Chejor is a public health professional and PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University. His research seeks to explore and analyze the experiences of dementia care in older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. A pharmacist by training, he worked as a hospital pharmacist in his home country of Bhutan before joining the Drug Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Health in Bhu...

Nicola Pauling is a trainer and facilitator with over 20 years experience developing people and communities through play and performance. She is the founder of Voice Arts , an award winning organisation  that provides access to drama-based creative programmes in Wellington, New Zealand. Nicola is an Associate of the New York based East Side Institute and a graduate of their International Programme...

Berrie Holtzhausen is the Founder of Alzheimer's Dementia Namibia (ADN). Berrie has dedicated his life to combat the stigma linking people with dementia to witchcraft in rural African communities. Prior to founding ADN he was a pastor for over 20 years. Berrie holds a Masters degree in Theology and honours in Semetic languages.  In this chat, Berrie tells us about his journey of activism, advocacy...

Professor Keith McAdam is the Founder of Music For My Mind  an innovative young charity aiming to improve the well-being of people living with dementia by making personalised music playlists widely available, as an affordable therapy in dementia care.  Keith's upbringing in East Africa led to medical training in England, progressively to work on: leprosy and amyloidosis in Papua New Guinea, labora...

Neha Sinha is a dementia specialist and has gained international recognition for creating dementia services in India. Initial work stint of Neha was as a counselor with Sanjivini, a Delhi-based non-governmental organization for Mental Health. Thereafter she co-founded Epoch Elder Care and worked as the Head of Operations and later she became the CEO of Epoch Elder Care. Epoch Elder Care has more t...