A major dementia expo featuring Tasmanian developed research, as well as information on support services and community groups available in the State, will be held in Hobart on Thursday, 28 April.
Over 20 exhibitors will attend the Dementia, Prevention and Well-being expo at the C3 Convention Centre in South Hobart from 10am-2pm.
The free event includes information and hands-on demonstrations, providing an opportunity for people to learn more about support services available after a dementia diagnosis, and how people can reduce their risk of dementia.
“This is the first time we have hosted an event like this in Hobart,” Professor James Vickers, Director of the University of Tasmania’s Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, said.
“We are wanting to help the Tasmanian community better understand dementia and build awareness of the modifiable risk factors associated with the disease by connecting them to local information and support services.
“Visitors will be able to take a dementia risk profile, and can talk to a neuropsychologist as well as researchers from the University of Tasmania’s ISLAND Project. They can also interact with a variety of organisations associated with dementia and dementia risk including Hearing Australia, Diabetes Tasmania, U3A, Men’s Sheds and COTA.
“Visitors will also be able to participate in research activities including a virtual reality navigation task.
“Researchers at the University of Tasmania are developing a VR navigation task, which aims to identify an individual’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease years before the onset of clinical symptoms.”
The Dementia, Prevention and Well-being expo is being hosted by the ISLAND Project, which is part of the University’s Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre.
