The number of people diagnosed with dementia is increasing dramatically around the world.
World Health Organization projections see the number of dementia cases doubling to 65.7 million by 2030, and tripling to 115.4 million by 2050.
The Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, based in the University of Tasmania's Faculty of Health Science, is working hard to provide practical solutions to the growing problem of dementia with its research projects and educational programs.
Established in 2008, the Wicking Centre is funded by the JO & JR Wicking Trust (managed by ANZ Trustees), with further financial support from UTAS and a range of national funding agencies.
Co-directed by Professor James Vickers and Professor Andrew Robinson, Wicking aims to provide support and solutions for the issues confronting people with dementia and those who care for them on a personal or professional level, as well as increasing the body of knowledge about the condition.
Prof Vickers said Wicking's team of researchers is conducting research and education projects both locally and nationally, using a multidisciplinary approach that spans medicine, neuroscience and the social sciences.
"We are aiming to increase the knowledge and understanding of diseases affecting the brain," Prof Vickers said.
"With so many people affected by dementia, and those numbers set to increase with the ageing of the population, it is vital that we address the problem on a variety of levels: the academic and scientific, the educational and the community."
Prof Robinson said the centre places emphasis on providing quality information and education about dementia.
A key example of this is UTAS' first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Understanding Dementia, developed and run by Wicking.
"This online course builds on the latest in international research on dementia. It's free and anyone can take it," Prof Robinson said.
"The course is the first MOOC on dementia, and is designed to appeal to and connect a broad range of students including health professionals, community and residential facility support staff, health policymakers, social scientists, people in the early stages of the condition, and their family members and friends."
Another of Wicking's innovative projects is the world-first study, the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project.
"This study aims to discover the potential for tertiary education later in life to boost brain plasticity and protect against ageing-related cognitive decline.
Such complex mental stimulation may be one way of defending the circuitry of the brain from conditions such as Alzheimer's disease."
Prof Robinson said the education projects run by Wicking were of benefit to the centre, the body of research into dementia and the participants themselves.
"By taking part in our projects, participants are able to improve their own brain plasticity and education, as well as contributing to the knowledge we have of dementia.
"It is this type of collaborative, innovative work that we are passionate about at Wicking."
Major Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre initiatives
- The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project
www.utas.edu.au/wicking/healthy-brain - The world's first Massive Open Online Course in dementia care
www.utas.edu.au/wicking/wca/mooc - The new Associate Degree in Dementia Care, an Australian first
www.utas.edu.au/wicking/wca/addc