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University of Tasmania

Preventing Dementia

University of Tasmania via Independent

Overview

Dementia is now a leading cause of death worldwide, with risk reduction more important than ever. It's never too early or too late to do something good for your brain and reduce your risk. 

This course developed and taught by the Wicking Dementia Centre, is suited to everyone – whether you are an individual with an interest in brain health and/or dementia risk reduction, or an allied health professional, clinician, aged care service provider or health policy professional.

Dementia has a profound impact on individuals, families and communities, and the number of people with dementia across the world increases every year as our global population ages.

It's now one of the most significant health, social and economic issues of the 21st century.

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

The impacts of dementia, including loss of physical and cognitive capacity, are felt community wide. The latest research estimates that up to 40% of dementia cases may be preventable by attending to potentially modifiable risk factors.

The Preventing Dementia MOOC draws on the latest scientific evidence, as well as the expertise of leading global experts in dementia research and education to outline and discuss the key risk factors for dementia. You'll hear from expert neuroscientists, clinicians and epidemiologists as they outline ways you may be able to reduce your risk.

Myths and controversies will be discussed, and you'll also have an opportunity to participate in new research in this area

Knowledge is the key to understanding prevention.

You should expect to spend approximately 2 hours per week engaging with the content and completing the course activities. You can work through the content at any time of day and at your own pace up until the course closes.

Once you have completed the course, you will be eligible to download a free, personalised certificate of completion. We also offer paid enhanced certificate options in addition to the free certificate.

Syllabus

Course Outline

  1. Can dementia be prevented?

Learn about key concepts in dementia prevention, as well as how we study dementia risk in populations, and the major modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.

  1. Dementia risk - it's not all in your head

Examine the evidence supporting links between dementia risk and key vascular and medical risk factors, such as diabetes and physical activity.

  1. A healthy and active mind

Learn about the impact of education and depression on dementia risk, and how we can build ‘cognitive reserve’ to resist the effects of diseases that cause dementia.

  1. Interventions for prevention

Key strategies for prevention at the individual and population level are examined. New research initiatives that may impact on dementia risk are also explored.

Reviews

4.9 rating, based on 7,217 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Preventing Dementia

  • Anonymous
    I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the course. I enjoyed all the modules and meeting international specialists and researchers. Personally I found the explanation of hereditary factors and risk of developing dementia enlightening and hug…
  • Use it or lose it. I enrolled the course for my 2nd time as the revision. I thought would be able to remember 80% of details or knowledge like what I did from the previous year. No I am wrong, maximum 10% what I did remember.

    This is proved to myself that never think twice to study something you think you already know.

    Thank you very much for generouse academic course to the public. I do appreciate it, Preventing Dementia is helpful for my health benefits and my learning output throughout the course.
  • Unbelievably good... & free! This course puts dementia in its place: it is a fatal disease affecting the body & brain together; it cannot be prevented or cured; the risk of succumbing to it CAN be significantly reduced by simple measures that also r…
  • I just completed this class and loved it. There is a lot to learn and apply in our life as we age. The most important thing we need to learn is there is no time too early or late to work towards improving our cognitive health through lifestyle chan…
  • This was my first MOOC and I was apprehensive about it, especially since I enrolled 2 weeks into it. It was easy to follow and catch up on.
    I liked that there are text versions for all the videos, made it easier to go back and take notes.
    The information was plainly spoken, not overly technical or needing to already be trained in the medical field to understand.
    You gain application knowledge to understanding dementia and implement changes in your own life to help reduce risk.
    The extra reading link options included were nice for when you have time and interest to delve a little deeper into some areas.
  • Lorna Kay Durrant
    Having previously completed the Understanding Dementia Course in 2017, I have just completed the 2018 Preventing Dementia MOOC Course. I can now see why this Course is rated to be in the top 50 Worldwide Online Courses, and rated also as the top…
  • Musiimenta Beatrice
    Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5) This course has truly been a transformative experience. As someone who has long been interested in the field of healthcare and senior care, this course provided a comprehensive and insightful look into the world of dementia and…
  • Anonymous
    As I am 67yrs and my mother at 92 is in the initial stages of dementia, so I found the course most relevant and very informative. The areas covered were presented in a sequential format by experts in the field, starting with Module 1 - Identifying D…
  • I highly recommend this course to both health professionals and those with an interest in learning more about the prevention of dementia.

    The course is presented in an informative, engaging manner, and contains interviews and findings from current global research.
  • I really enjoyed this course, and would recommend it to anyone who was looking for ways to improve their risk factors or their families risk factors of getting dementia. Thank you for making this information so easily accessible.
  • Interesting information, well presented and easy to access. It was also easy to dip in and out, spending as much or as little time as I had available on any one day, and then to pick up where I left off. The content is very easy to understand, with…
  • Dianne Miriam Kavanagh
    Thank you to the extraordinary team at University of Tasmania MOOCS, for delivering a thorough, concise and informative course.
    There is much to consider, when looking at the many risk factors for dementia, which I will take into consideration, not only in my life and those around me, but also within my workplace. I also appreciated the information regarding, not only the "Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project" but other international studies, research and trials being conducted.
    "Preventing Dementia" is the second course I have completed and I look forward to, continuing learning with you.

    With Thanks
    Dianne Kavanagh
  • Anna Grazia Pietrolungo
    I have recently completed the "Preventing Dementia" course "MOOC" with the university of Tasmania. It has been an enjoyable, informal way of learning about the subject within my own time. Having the course presented on line with the many videos and…
  • Anonymous
    I recently had the opportunity to participate in the course on "Preventing Dementia," and I must say that it has been an enlightening and highly valuable experience. The course content was not only informative but also delivered in a manner that mad…
  • It is a very fun and information packed course. Before studying this course, I have minimum knowledge on dementia and I thought it is inevitable as part of ageing, only lucky few may dodge the bullet. However, after this course I have learnt a lot about what causing dementia, how to avoid it and what can we do about it. It's also focus on making the best out of our lives. Such as having healthy and active mindset, better diet and lifestyle choices. Those can be applied to what we can do with our lifestyle that not just for the sake of dementia prevention but to experience more in our lives and sustaining a better quality of life until we die. I can't wait to share what I learnt to others.
  • Anonymous
    At the very outset I wish to thank the University of Tasmania and each and every one of you,who made the course possible.I am glad to have been able to take the course and complete it. I learnt a lot during the course of this study.It also helped m…
  • Anonymous
    A really good course covering types of dementia, causes, risk factors and prevention.

    It is backed by research findings, and covers several research some of which are still on going.

    It covers dementia resources available worldwide, so one might find one in their country.
  • This offering is a well-curated course on preventive measures for dementia, an increasingly-important global health concern. Made no less by one of the most authoritative centers for dementia research and education in the world, in collaboration wit…
  • Thanks University Tasmania Wicking Dementia Centre for developing and running this MOOC Preventing Dementia. It's fantastic to be able to partake of such high calibre program, free of charge.

    I've registered for the next available course, Understanding Dementia 2021, and look forward to it very much.

    I will certainly strongly recommend family and friends to register into both courses. Now that I've done one course, I may be more effective in my 'sales' effort!

    Thanks to the faculty and team for a world class MOOC program!!

  • Anonymous
    This course open my eyes and an opportunity to teach others especially in rural areas they don't know about this. So I am very happy for this chance that you gave me I thank you.

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