ISLAND- A Public Health Initiative

Hello and welcome to this edition of the ISLAND Project newsletter.  I'm Justine Keay, North-West Project Officer for the ISLAND Project and one of many in the ISLAND team.  ISLAND aims to be the largest dementia prevention study in the world, and thank you for being part of this.  But in these challenging times where our way of life has changed quite dramatically recently, it is important that we look after ourselves and each other.

Through scientific research, it has been identified that a third of all dementia cases could potentially be prevented.  ISLAND is about informing Tasmanians about what the modifiable risk factors for developing dementia are and by attending to these risk factors by changing behaviours, we can reduce the incidence of dementia in our state.  Your involvement helps us to research that what we are doing will make this difference.

We hope that our newsletters will provide you with some practical information to attend to these risk factors and give you some ideas that you might like to consider to help reduce your risk of developing dementia.  You will receive a newsletter each fortnight with a focus on one main risk factor (there are a few!).  

Additionally, our newsletter will include some articles and links to resources to promote wellness as we navigate an uncertain and unprecedented way of life. 

And, in the background, the ISLAND team is working on developing other research opportunities and initiatives that you might like to be part of, including moving you to our new ISLAND Home portal in coming weeks.

I trust you will find this edition of our newsletter informative.  

Why Is Social Engagement Important to Reducing Dementia Risk?

Researchers generally find that greater social engagement is associated with reduced dementia risk.  Our current situation with COVID-19 makes this a bit more tricky to attend to, but we have some tips and suggestions for this below.

Typically, social engagement is defined as the frequency and quality of people's social interactions with friends, family, and others. One of the major theories in this area is that social engagement requires a significant amount of cognitive effort, which might help to maintain brain function.

Why social engagement should be related to dementia risk is a really tricky question to answer.  Socialising with other people demands a lot of your brain - language processing, memory, forward planning and focussed attention.  You also have to follow social conventions by drawing on emotional intelligence.  Socialising requires quite a lot of mental work!  

Additionally, you get some reward feedback for social engagement.  It can be a pleasurable experience and so you do it more and more in your life.  

Whether there is an inherent value to social activity and dementia risk, independent of either cognitive activity or the reward feedback, we don't really know.  We cannot yet quantify what is the best amount of social activity to provide an overt benefit to brain health.

Particularly in retirement, when life can change dramatically and social networks can become restricted, it is recommended people should try and start a new past time or hobby or join an interest group.  Being cognitively active, socially active and physically active is ideal.  If you can incorporate these three key ingredients in your life, then you're doing a good thing to lower your risk for dementia.

In the next article, below, are some ways to stay connected.  It is still important we connect to people in other, effective ways and remain safe in our homes.

With many community organisations, volunteering and social groups suspending their face-to-face activity and physical interaction being restricted during this time, it's not easy keeping socially engaged and connected.  

But being online and engaging online is a good way to stay socially active and even meet new people!

The Commonwealth Government's Be Connected initiative has developed courses on Staying Connected; how to make video calls, socialising safely online, and using Facebook safely to keep engaged.  The links below will take you to the Be Connected courses:

 Making Video Calls

 Socialising Online

 Using Facebook

Whatever your interest or hobby, there are many classes, sessions and meetings occurring online.  In our next newsletter edition, we will include some links to creative ways to engage that may be of interest to you.

'Be Connected' website

Which Risk Factors for Dementia Would You Attend To?

It's never too early or too late to reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Research has shown that factors at all stages of life influence our risk of developing dementia, and that even at late life managing health conditions and adopting a healthy lifestyle may reduce dementia risk.

As the graphic below shows, there are many dementia risk factors. It might be daunting to think about all of them at once, but you can tackle them one at a time. Over the next few months, the ISLAND newsletter will provide you with some information and practical tools to address each of these risk factors.

Contact the ISLAND team at island@dementia.utas.edu.au if you no longer wish to receive the newsletter
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B | ABN 30 764 374 782