Guests:

Ron Swan is a retired business development professional and entrepreneur with a strong focus on accessibility and aging-in-place. He founded Home Safe Living, a company that provided independent living and accessibility solutions across the Maritime region before selling the business to Lawton’s Drugs, a Sobeys company. A passionate advocate for older adults, Ron continues to contribute through leadership roles, including Chair of the Board of CARP Nova Scotia and past Chair of the Seniors’ Advisory Council of Nova Scotia. He is frequently called upon to speak on aging, accessibility and community well-being.

Dr. Bowdish is a Professor at McMaster University and Executive Director of the Firestone Institute of Respiratory Health. Her research focuses on how aging affects the immune system, particularly how inflammation alters immune cell function and increases susceptibility to infections. Her work also examines how the aging immune system interacts with the microbiome and how these processes influence healthy and unhealthy aging. Dr. Bowdish leads the Preclinical Studies in Aging Laboratory and serves on the Board of Directors of the Lung Health Foundation, where she advocates for improved lung health and research funding for older adults.

Our Guests:

Alexandra Aguzzi, a retired civil servant, is the main caregiver to her mom, Anna Aguzzi. Early in life, Anna picked up a paintbrush and transformed a hobby into a life’s passion, becoming a successful painter. Alexandra and Anna now enjoy spending time together at Baycrest, where Anna has been a resident for 3 years, following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s with Lewy body dementia.

Dr. Valerie Sim is a neuroscientist, clinical neurologist, and Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology at the University of Alberta, as well as a scientist at the University’s Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases. Her research has explored dementia at many levels: from the misfolding of proteins in a tube, to growing slices of brain in a dish, to human diagnosis and treatment trials. She cares for people living with a variety of neurological disorders, including dementia, and teaches medical students and residents how to diagnose and help people living with complex neurological problems.

Our Guests:

​​Faith Rockburne is a Lived Experience Advocate for mental health. Since 2013, Faith has shared her journey with mental illness with a wide variety of audiences to help break the stigma of mental illness. She is also a Peer Support Specialist with St. Michael's Hospital and an Educator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Dr. Zahinoor Ismail is a Clinician Scientist and Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Epidemiology, and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary. He is certified in Behavioural Neurology & Neuropsychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry, with over 25 years of clinical experience. He has published almost 350 scientific papers, is Chair of the Canadian Conference on Dementia and of the Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia Guideline Group, and was Co-Chair of the Government of Canada Ministerial Advisory Board for Dementia from 2023-2025.

Dr. Lillian Hung is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing and Clinician Scientist at Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the founder of the IDEA Lab. She leads a dynamic team of academics and patient and family partners dedicated to advancing dementia and aging research. Through co-designed projects and collaborative research, the IDEA Lab fosters innovation, emphasizing shared benefits and meaningful engagement to improve care and support for those affected by dementia. She focuses on patient-oriented research and innovative care for people living with dementia and their caregivers. 

Dr. Theone Paterson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria; an Affiliated Investigator at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Affiliated Researcher at Fraser Health; and a Registered Psychologist with practice in Neuropsychology. She is the Past Chair of the Clinical Neuropsychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association; and is currently a Co-Investigator and Local Site Principal Investigator for the UVic Data Collection Site of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Her research interests include improving understanding of the interplay between cognition and psychosocial functioning and predicting real-world cognitive health outcomes as we age. 

Key Messages:

• Gum infections are common, especially in older adults. 
• Maintaining healthy teeth and gums benefits your overall health and may reduce your dementia risk.

Key Actions:

• Brush and floss daily.
• If available, visit your dental professional for regular cleaning and check-ups or if you are experiencing issues with your teeth or gums.

About our guests:

Ben Schaub is an award-winning science journalist and Defy DementiaTM’s writer and chase producer. Ben researched episodes of CBC’s The Nature of Things and produced interviews and documentaries for Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet. 

Dr. James Noble is a Professor of Neurology in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He was the first to discover an association between the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivitis and impaired memory, and leads a project exploring the relationship of oral health conditions and cognitive trajectories. He is also the author of Navigating Life with Dementia.

We also hear from Dr. Adrienne Johnson, an expert on smoking and dementia risk, and Dr. Andrew Pipe, a global leader in smoking cessation. Together they discuss the science of addiction, the resilience needed to quit, and the brain’s capacity to heal. 

Tune in at defydementia.org or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Dewlyn Lobo and Anna Lobo are a daughter and mother, respectively, who live in Ottawa. Together, they are each other’s caregivers and both are committed to an activity-centred lifestyle that is designed to boost their physical and cognitive health. Dewlyn, 37, lives with Down syndrome and is employed part-time as an office worker and web researcher at the Occupational Health and Safety office at the House of Commons in Ottawa. As of June, 2025, she has worked there for 10 years. Anna, 72, originally worked as a nurse in Mumbai, India. In 2004, she answered a help wanted ad for nurses in Nunavut. She moved to Rankin Inlet in 2005. Her husband and Dewlyn joined her there in 2006. Eventually, the family moved south to Ottawa. Anna now serves as a teacher at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) coaching other caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities on wellbeing and cognitive health. Dewlyn was also a teacher at CAMH, speaking to other adults with developmental disabilities.

Yona Lunsky, PhD, CPsych, FAAIDD, is the Scientific Director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Director of the Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities Program (www.hcardd.ca) and a Senior Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), in Toronto, Canada. She is also a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; an Adjunct Scientist at ICES; and a Clinical Psychologist. She has been studying the mental and physical health of adults with developmental disabilities and their families for more than 25 years, and has published over 300 papers on this topic. She works closely with people with developmental disabilities, their families, and clinical providers to identify health care gaps and co-design innovative solutions.

In 2021, 42-year-old Nicole McLachlan was in her apartment, planning to go for a walk with a friend and her dog. She got up from her desk and suddenly felt “weird.” She lay down and when she tried to get up, she felt extreme pain on the right side of her body, in her jaw, neck, and shoulder. Nicole called Ontario’s health information line (now called Health811), who sent an ambulance to her address.

Nicole was treated for a heart attack at St. Michael’s Hospital. Imaging revealed that the heart attack was caused by a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), a deadly condition where a tear forms in the wall of a coronary artery, slowing or blocking blood flow to the heart. Nicole recovered and was referred to the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) to rehabilitate her cardiovascular health and learn about a heart-healthy lifestyle. Since then, in addition to her role as a Senior Consultant at TD Bank, Nicole has been active in an online community of women recovering from SCAD-related heart attacks.

Dr. Paul Oh is the GoodLife Fitness Chair in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Prevention, Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Program at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and a Senior Scientist at :the KITE Research Institute at University Health Network. Dr. Oh's research activities examine ways to design, implement, and evaluate the best approaches to cardiac rehabilitation. His research themes include the role of exercise, risk factor management, enhanced self-management, technologies to support healthy behaviour, patient education models, and analyzing cardiovascular databases to better understand long-term patient outcomes.

The GoodLife Fitness Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine helps people with heart disease improve their cardiac health and fitness, while supporting patients to reduce their chance of future cardiac incidents by making lasting lifestyle and behaviour changes.

Liane Pelissier has more than 19 years of experience working in long-term care, and was a caregiver to her dad, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia. He transitioned to long-term care in 2016 and died in 2018. At the time of his admission, Liane was a Resident and Family Services Coordinator at a long-term care home. Liane has a background in social work and is a certified Gentle Persuasive Approach Coach through Behavioural Specialists of Ontario. She is currently a Client Services Manager at Family Councils Ontario, an NGO that advises caregivers of individuals living in long-term care. She gives presentations to family councils and long-term care staff, promoting collaboration, talking about conflict resolution and guiding caregivers through the transition process. Recently, Liane was a lead writer of a comprehensive transition guidebook for caregivers in Ontario, called Making the Move to Long-Term Care. 

Dr. Jasneet Parmar is a Care of the Elderly physician and a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, at the University of Alberta. She currently works in the Homeliving Care of the Elderly Services and provides assessments to homebound older adults. Dr. Parmar is on the front line of transitioning people to long-term care and works directly with their family caregivers. She is very active in developing and implementing clinical programs for the care of older adults. Her research focuses on supporting family caregivers through the healthcare system. With colleagues from the University of Alberta, she created an education program for long-term care staff (and eventually caregivers and doctors) called Caregiver-Centred Care. Its goal is to focus care on caregivers, recognize their unpaid work and draw on them for information about their loved ones living in long-term care. The Caregiver-Centred Care education program is now being taught at 44 long-term care homes in the Edmonton area.

In 2017, Jane Enright suffered an unforeseen traumatic brain injury that left her almost speechless. She was at her son’s volleyball game when an errant, speeding ball hit her in the face and whipped her head back. It was a day before she went to hospital. She suffered from speech aphasia and memory loss. She regained full speech with the help of a speech pathologist. Amid this recovery, her partner Clayton suffered a severe head injury. Today, Jane is the winner of the 2022 Canadian Book Club Award for Best Book, Spiritual, Health & Wellness, and the 2022 Silver Medal from Living Now Evergreen Book Awards, to commemorate world-changing books published in this new millennium for her compelling, uplifting memoir entitled Butter Side Up: How I Survived My Most Terrible Year & Created My Super Awesome Life. Jane is also the author of the acclaimed wellness playbook Jane’s Jam: Inspiration to Create Your Super Awesome Life, shortlisted for the 2023 Eric Hoffer Grand Prize for Literature. Jane is also a Director on the Board of Governors for the Brain Canada Foundation.

Dr. Carmela Tartaglia is a clinician scientist at the Canadian Concussion Centre, University Health Network (UHN) and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto. She specializes in the detection and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on frontotemporal dementia and young-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Her interests also extend to the delayed effects of concussions. She sees patients with persistent, post-concussion symptoms and those with repeated concussions who may be at risk for neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Tartaglia employs a multi-modal approach, integrating imaging, biofluid biomarkers, genetics and clinical data to improve diagnosis and understand the underlying causes of cognitive, behavioural, and motor impairments. Her research aims to develop biomarkers for early disease detection, advancing precision medicine and enabling targeted, early interventions.

Dr. Agnes Chinelo, MBBS, MRCGP, CCFP, has been a family physician for more than two decades, much of the time in the United Kingdom. Dr. Chinelo was born in Lagos, Nigeria and she earned her medical degree from the University of Ibadan. She is now practicing and living in Sackville, N.S. Dr. Chinelo has developed a mindful approach to managing her own well-being over a busy and sometimes harrowing life, as a mother of three, a caregiver and a doctor. She was a Physician Liaison with the Alzheimer Society of Canada on a project that created more inclusive dementia guidelines for the Black community. She is also an advocate for health empowerment and education through her YouTube channel, Talk with Doctor Agnes, and her blog. She has been a keynote speaker and a guest speaker at various conferences, workshops and seminars in the community. Dr. Chinelo has authored a book, “Michael’s Memories,” sharing her experiences of her father's dementia from her perspective as a daughter/caregiver and a medical doctor. The book is due to be published in March 2025.

Dr. Emily Willroth is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. She is also Director of the WELLlab. Her current research examines how different components of well-being (e.g., emotion, life satisfaction, sense of purpose) vary and change across time, both in the short-term from moment to moment and in the long term across the adult lifespan. She applies insights from this research to examine links between well-being and important health outcomes in middle and older adulthood, such as chronic illness, mortality and dementia risk. Emily received her doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley, her master’s degree at the College of William and Mary, and her bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Martin Picard directs the Mitochondrial Psychobiology Group at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He received his bachelor’s degree in neuroimmunology, and doctoral degree in mitochondrial biology of aging at McGill University. He joined the faculty of Columbia University in 2015. The Mitochondrial Psychobiology Group investigates organelle-to-organism communication linking the human experience with molecular and energetic processes inside mitochondria. With their collaborators, Dr. Picard's team combines clinical, cellular and computational approaches to understand how energetic processes and perturbations within mitochondria interact with key brain-body processes that shape aging biology and sustain human health. Dr. Picard’s translational research program has contributed to defining the diversity of mitochondria across the brain and body, and to longitudinally examining the link between stress, energy expenditure and the rate of aging at the cellular level.

David Chase, 78, is a retired teacher from British Columbia. He and his wife Rena married in 1966 and were together for almost 58 years. They had four children. At age 72, Rena was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and over the next six years Dave was her caregiver. Prior to the diagnosis, music had always been a big part of their lives. Following Rena’s diagnosis, they sought out local choirs as a healthy, social activity, and then Rena found out about a project at the University of Victoria called Voices in Motion. They both joined the choir, finding a welcoming, collaborative environment. They took part in rehearsals and performances. After Rena’s health deteriorated, Dave says her music persisted as other things fell away. Rena passed away on January 20, 2024. Dave continues to sing with the choir.

Dr. Debra Sheets is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Nursing and a research affiliate with the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health at the University of Victoria. She received her doctorate in Gerontology and Public Policy from the University of Southern California. Dr. Sheets is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Canadian Academy of Nursing, the Gerontological Society of America and the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. She is the founder of four community-based, intergenerational initiatives (Voices in Motion choir, Memory Cafe, Minds on the Go, Momentia Victoria) in Victoria, British Columbia, aimed at making the arts more accessible to persons living with dementia and their care partners. She is the host of Call to Mind, a four-part podcast series created during the pandemic that aims to share intimate stories about the challenges and rewards of caregiving and finding joy by living in the present.

Dr. Julene K. Johnson is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Institute for Health & Aging. She is Co-Director of the Sound Health Network, which is a partnership between UCSF and the National Endowment for the Arts, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, the Kennedy Center and soprano Renée Fleming. The Sound Health Network promotes research and public awareness about the impact of music on health and wellness. Dr. Johnson is also the head of the Music and Dementia Research Network, where she curates the efforts of scientists who are looking for hard evidence on how music impacts the brains of people living with dementia. She obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Dallas and completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, Irvine's Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, now called the MIND Institute. Her undergraduate degree is in music. Julene is a lifelong flutist.

Catherine Mulvale, 58, is a business consultant, wife and mother of two. She has been the executive director of several national charitable organizations, including the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Over her career she has been directly involved in raising more than $65 million in donations. These days she works as a consultant and graphic designer, mostly for charities.

Both of Catherine’s parents were diagnosed with vascular dementia. Her mother, Anne Hawkins, was diagnosed in 2019 at age 85 and is living in a long-term care home. Anne is still communicative, though she often experiences delusions. Catherine’s father died four years ago, denying that he had dementia until the end. Catherine began a website, dementialove.org, to help document her mother’s life and also to serve as an outlet for writing about caregiving for her mom. It has grown into a forum for other caregivers to share stories, resources and advice.

Benjamin (Ben) Hartung is a Registered Nurse practicing in Alberta. He is also a nursing instructor at Bow Valley College in Calgary and a certified gerontological nurse with the Canadian Nurses Association. His research focuses on dementia communication and the use of “ethical lies” in dementia care. He has published several studies on the topic of lying and dementia care. Ben is passionate about helping caregivers and healthcare professionals navigate the complexities of communicating with people living with dementia. Benjamin holds a Master’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lakehead University.

Dr. Gill Livingston is Professor of Psychiatry of Older People at University College London. She is a clinical academic who has spent her career working with people living with dementia and their families. She led the Lancet Standing Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, which published reports in 2017, 2020 and 2024. The findings of these reports have substantial implications for preventing and delaying a significant proportion of dementia cases and have resulted in changes in UK and US policy to reduce dementia risk. Dr. Livingston also researches interventions to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their families and staff caring for them, and particularly considers underserved and minority communities. She leads the Strategies for Relatives (START) programme, which promotes coping strategies for carers of people living with dementia who may experience depression and anxiety symptoms.

Note: The full report of the Lancet Commission can be accessed here.

Myrna Norman is an advocate, author, speaker, mother, wife and grandmother who lives in Maple Ridge, B.C. She was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2009. Her diagnosis has since shifted to Alzheimer's, Lewy body dementia and, most recently, to mild cognitive impairment. After her original diagnosis, Myrna struggled with depression and isolated herself. Myrna found her way out of her “cocoon,” as she calls it, through volunteering, establishing a Canadian chapter of the Purple Angel Ambassadors dementia support group and becoming an advocate for people living with dementia. Myrna also worked with Alzheimer’s disease advocate Jim Mann and researchers from the University of British Columbia on the federally funded Flipping Stigma toolkit, which was released in 2022. In her free time, she enjoys art, writing poetry and listening to audio books.

Jim Mann is a researcher, author and speaker who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2007 at the age of 58. Since his retirement, his focus has been on the meaningful and ethical engagement of those living with dementia, issues of stigma and unconscious bias, and technology. Jim was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia in 2020 for his work “countering negative stereotypes and promoting an inclusive society in which persons with dementia can make an active and meaningful contribution.” Jim was co-Principal Investigator of the federally funded Flipping Stigma project, which focused on reducing the stigma of dementia, and produced a free publicly available toolkit. He has authored/co-authored 56 papers and continues to give presentations across the country. As a community volunteer, Jim is also a member of several boards and committees aimed at improving the lives of individuals living with dementia.

Resources

• Why is dementia different for women? – from Alzheimer’s Society
• Did you know? Women are at higher risk – from Alzheimer’s Society
• Women and Alzheimer's – from Alzheimer’s Association
• Women and dementia: A global research review – from Alzheimer’s Disease International 
• Why are women more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease? – from Harvard Health Publishing
• Video: A discussion on women, brain health and dementia – from Alzheimer’s Society 

Note: Shortly after we recorded this episode, a scientific article was published in the journal Nature Medicine (Fortea et al., 2024) strengthening the potential link between individuals' genetics and Alzheimer's disease. However, these new results do not change the recommendations for healthy lifestyle changes presented in this episode on how to reduce your dementia risk.

Additional resources

•  Your risk of dementia: Do lifestyle and genetics matter? – from Harvard Health
• Genes and dementia – from Alzheimer’s UK
• Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Fact Sheet – from the National Institute on Aging 

Join Virtual Defy Dementia: Meet the Expert — The Heart of a Healthy Brain on Feb 26, 2026 (10:30–12 PM EST) for a live, interactive Q&A on how cardiovascular health impacts dementia risk.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Aj64ootuTF-0qn0tfc0JaQ

This is the second episode of our two-part special on stress and caregiving. With one in two Canadians expected to become caregivers in their lifetime, Defy Dementia unpacks the significant effects of caregiving on brain health. First, Dr. Ho Yu (University of Toronto) discusses the various factors that increase caregivers’ dementia risk. Then, Katie Brandt shares her journey as a caregiver for her husband and father, both diagnosed with dementia when she was just 29. Drawing from her experience, Katie offers invaluable advice for caregivers both new and seasoned. Whether you are currently a caregiver or may become one in the future, don’t miss this new episode for critical insights and guidance to help defy dementia.

Visit defydementia.org for more episodes and resources.

Tell us what you think! Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey.

Resources

Community programs:

• Baycrest’s Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness
• Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing

Practical tools and tips:

• 15 Things You Can Do Now To Reduce Your Risk Of Dementia: #5 Stimulating Activities – video by Baycrest
• Train Your Brain – by Harvard Health

 About the effects on lifestyle on dementia risk:

• Lifestyle behaviors can lower your risk of dementia – from the CDC
• Healthy lifestyle behaviors reduced dementia risk despite family history of dementia – from the American Heart Association

Visit defydementia.org for more episodes and resources.

Tell us what you think! Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey.

Resources

Practical tips:

• The Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep – from Baycrest
• Caregiver training: Sleep disturbances [video] – from the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program

More information about the link between sleep and dementia:

• Good sleep for good health: Get the rest you need – from the National Institutes of Health
• Sleep and dementia risk – from the UK Alzheimer’s Society
• Understanding the connection between sleep and dementia – from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
• Sleep problems and dementia - from WebMD

Studies on sleep and dementia:

• Deep sleep may mitigate Alzheimer's memory loss – from Berkeley News
• - Seven to eight hours: The goldilocks of sleep – from Cognitive Vitality

Visit defydementia.org for more episodes and resources.

Tell us what you think! Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey

Resources

Studies on air pollution and dementia risk:

• Western research shows traffic related air pollution linked to increased risk of dementia – from Western University
• Air pollution linked to higher dementia risk: Study – from WebMD
• Air pollution may increase risk for dementia – from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 

Check the air quality in your area:

• Local Air Quality Health Index – from the Government of Canada
• Air Now – Air Quality Index for the US – from the US Government
• Air Pollution in World: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map

Tips to reduce your air pollution exposure:

• Tips for reducing indoor pollutants in your home – from HealthLinkBC
• Improve indoor air quality in your home – from the Government of Canada
• 10 tips to protect yourself from unhealthy air – from the American Lung Association

How to build your own air purifier:

• Science in action: How to build a Corsi-Rosenthal box – from UC Davis College of Engineering 

Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey

Resources

• Brain Health Food Guide – from Baycrest and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA)
• Brain Health Recipes – from Cogniciti
• Feed Your Brain What It Needs – Eat Right – from Cogniciti
• 101 Tips for Tip-Top Health – from Harvard Medical School
• Promoting Brain Health – free educational module from iGeriCare 

Tell us what you think! Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey.

Additional resources:·      

• Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter – from Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Baycrest’s Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness
• Dr. Jennifer Heisz’ book, Move the Body, Heal the Mind
• Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills – from Harvard Health
• Expert Alert: Keep exercising: New study finds it’s good for your brain’s gray matter – from the Mayo Clinic
• Working out boosts brain health – from the American Psychological Association
• How Exercise Protects Your Brain’s Health – from the Cleveland Clinic
• How exercise can boost brain power – from the University of British Columbia
• How to Exercise for Better Brain Health, According to Experts – from EatingWell

Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey

Additional resources:

• Baycrest’s Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health & Wellness
• Cognitive Health and Older Adults – from the National Institute on Aging
• 15 Things You Can Do Now to Reduce Your Risk of Dementia – by Baycrest’s Dr. Howard Chertkow
• 15 Things You Can Do Now to Reduce Your Risk of Dementia: #5 Stimulating Activities – video featuring Baycrest’s Dr. Howard Chertkow
• Train Your Brain – from Harvard Health
• Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life – from the Government of Japan

Visit defydementia.org for our accompanying minute video and infographic.

Provide feedback about the Defy Dementia podcast, video and infographics by filling out a short survey.

Additional resources:

• Baycrest’s free, online hearing loss screening test
• Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults – from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging
• Sensory Leaflet
• Association of Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants With Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – from JAMA Neurology
• Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants in the Prevention of Cognitive Decline and Dementia—Breaking Through the Silence – from JAMA Neurology
• Helpful tools for a full, independent life with vision loss
• CNIB Foundation
• Improving vision may help prevent dementia – from Harvard Health
• Seniors and Aging - Vision Care – from Health Canada

Visit defydementia.org for our accompanying minute video and infographic.