The Healthy Brain and Memory Centre

‘You Must Remember This’ 🤎 A beautiful book that places us inside the world of Grace, an older woman living with dementia, where memories arrive in pieces and the boundaries between past and present begin to blur.

And there’s something particularly clever about the way Sean Wilson tells her story: the chapters themselves are out of order. The book begins with Chapter 10, then moves to 7, 11, 12, 8, 1… inviting the reader to experience some of the disorientation of Grace’s world rather than simply observe it.

It was shortlisted for the 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award, and Dementia Australia has just selected it as its Library Pick of the Month. We’re picking it too 💙

Wishing everyone a gentle weekend.

Our newest team member may be slightly underqualified, but his message is a very big ‘dill’ for brain health. (Deal..ok yes we stole his line 🫠)

Social connection isn’t just good for how we feel. It matters for how we age.

Research has consistently linked social isolation and loneliness with poorer cognitive health and a higher risk of dementia.

That doesn’t mean loneliness causes dementia on its own; dementia risk is complex and influenced by many factors, but maintaining meaningful social connection is one of the modifiable areas we can pay attention to as we get older.

Reminder; quality connection doesn’t have to mean a packed social calendar.

It can be joining our weekly coffee and connection session every Wednesday. 💚
A regular coffee with a friend.
A phone call with family.
A walking group.
Volunteering.
A weekly class.
Spending time with people who make you feel like you belong.

At Healthy Brain & Memory Centre, we talk a lot about exercise, sleep, cardiovascular health and keeping the brain active.

But please don’t underestimate connection.

(Emotional support services provided by Pickle are not yet Medicare-rebatable)

Reshare: Great to see the SMH’s Good Weekend shining a light on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the often invisible consequences that can remain long after the physical injuries have healed. 🧠

TBI is not rare. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data show that in 2021–22 alone, there were around 10,700 hospitalisations for concussion, and concussion itself is a form of traumatic brain injury.

Falls accounted for half of those hospitalisations, while transport accidents and sport were also important causes.

But what happens after a brain injury is something we believe deserves far more attention.

A person can look physically recovered while continuing to experience changes in memory, attention, processing speed, executive function, fatigue, mood, emotional regulation, impulse control and behaviour.

For some people these changes can be profound, affecting relationships, employment, independence and their sense of identity.

At Healthy Brain & Memory Centre, there is another important message here: changes in memory or thinking do not automatically mean dementia.

Cognitive symptoms can have many different causes. Acquired brain injury (including TBI) is one of them.

Understanding why cognition has changed, the pattern of those changes and how they are affecting everyday life is an important part of appropriate assessment and management.

And no two brain injuries are the same. The effects and recovery following TBI can vary enormously from one person to another.

This is an excellent piece by journalist Tim Elliott for Good Weekend, sharing the experiences of Australians living with the long-term consequences of brain injury.

You can read the full article via the Sydney Morning Herald/Good Weekend.

Images/article: Sydney Morning Herald / Good Weekend.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medicines for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke; Concerns about statins and memory didn’t come from nowhere…

Years ago, some people taking these cholesterol-lowering medications reported forgetfulness, confusion or feeling mentally “fuzzy”.

In 2012, the US FDA added information about possible cognitive side effects to statin labels.

More than a decade later, however, the evidence is mounting against the fear!

A major 2026 study analysed real-world health records from more than 125 million people in the United States.

Among adults over 45 with abnormal cholesterol levels, statin use was associated with a 31% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Does that mean statins prevent Alzheimer’s? No.

This was an observational study. It can show an association, but it cannot prove that statins caused the lower risk.

Other differences between people who did and didn’t take statins may have influenced the results.

‼️ But importantly, the study did not find an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease among people taking statins.

That matters because statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and fear about possible effects on the brain may make some people reluctant to take medication they have been prescribed.

Our heart and brain health are closely connected. Managing cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking is an important part of looking after our brain health as we age. ❤️🧠

If you’ve been prescribed a statin and are concerned about your memory or possible side effects, please speak with your doctor before making any changes to your medication.

‼️ The message isn’t “take a statin to prevent Alzheimer’s.” It’s “don’t avoid a statin you medically need because you’re frightened it will cause Alzheimer’s.”

What if a park could make it easier for someone living with dementia to keep doing something as ordinary, and important and as going for a walk? Tom Tate 🙏🏼😍 yes please!

On September 21, Canada’s first dementia-inclusive park, the Martin Family Legacy Garden, will open in Calgary. And almost every element has been considered through the lens of dementia.

Think:

🌿 Wide, colourful pathways designed to make routes easier to follow.

🌿 More wayfinding signage than you would ordinarily find in a park.

🌿 Flat terrain, plentiful seating and shade, helping make movement and rest easier.

🌿 Sensory gardens, using colour, contrast and different plants.

🌿 Natural containment incorporated into the landscaping rather than creating an environment that feels restrictive.

🌿 And even a children’s playground, recognising that people living with dementia remain part of families and communities — including families caring simultaneously for children and ageing parents.

Perhaps most importantly, the park wasn’t simply designed for people living with dementia. People with dementia and their care partners were involved in shaping it alongside researchers, healthcare professionals and community organisations.

And there is a much bigger conversation here.

Dementia-friendly design isn’t just about specialised facilities.

Our surroundings can either increase confusion and dependence or help support orientation, independence, movement and meaningful engagement.

Dementia Australia specifically identifies clear wayfinding, accessibility, familiar environments, risk reduction and support for movement among the principles of dementia-enabling design. 🫶

So perhaps the most interesting thing about Canada’s newest park isn’t the park itself.

It’s the question it raises for every community:

What would our cities look like if we designed more of them with ageing brains in mind? 🙏🏼

It’s the most important health check you’re probably not doing!BOOK A BRAIN HEALTH CHECK 🧠

Concerned about your memory, focus or brain health?
Or want to optimise your brain and protect future you?

You look after your body.
You exercise.
You eat well.
You get regular health checks.
Why not check your brain too?

A Brain Health Check can help you understand your current cognitive health and identify areas where early, proactive support may be appropriate.

Ideal for adults 30+ who:

✔️ Want to establish a cognitive baseline
✔️ Are experiencing brain fog, forgetfulness or poor concentration
✔️ Feel mentally slower or less sharp
✔️ Have experienced a concussion or head trauma
✔️ Have had an accident involving a head injury
✔️ Are experiencing cognitive changes around perimenopause or menopause
✔️ Have a family history of dementia
✔️ Simply want to be proactive about their future brain health

DON’T WAIT UNTIL THERE’S A PROBLEM.

Know your brain. Look after your future.

📞 Book your Brain Health Check
07 5597 9040

The Healthy Brain and Memory Centre
Southport | Gold Coast
Early insight. Proactive choices. A healthier brain for life.

It might sound like a strange question for a brain specialist to ask, but not according to a new study…

Grip strength is simply a measure of how strongly you can squeeze your hand. It can be measured using a small handheld device called a handgrip dynamometer. You squeeze it as hard as you can, and it gives us a measurement of your strength.

And researchers are increasingly interested in what that simple measurement might tell us about ageing and brain health.

A new 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis brought together 60 prospective studies involving 380,960 adults aged 45 and over.

It found that higher handgrip strength was associated with around a 19% lower risk of subsequent cognitive decline. Maintaining or increasing grip strength over time was associated with a similar reduction in risk.

Why would squeezing with your hand have anything to do with your brain?

It isn’t really about your hand.

Grip strength is used as a relatively simple indicator of overall muscle strength. And this research adds to a growing body of evidence linking muscle strength with cognitive health as we age.

Importantly, this does not mean having a weak grip causes dementia. And squeezing a stress ball every day isn’t a new dementia-prevention treatment! The research shows an association, not cause and effect.

What it does reinforce is something increasingly important in brain health:

Looking after your brain means looking after your body too.

Physical activity matters.
Cardiovascular health matters.
Metabolic health matters.
And muscle health matters too!

Reference: Younis M, Vints WAJ, Bautmans I. Handgrip performance as a predictor of incident cognitive decline in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2026;188:106815.