MindCare Collective

03/12/2025

, including Alzheimer’s disease, is now Australia’s leading cause of death, surpassing ischaemic heart disease. New ABS figures show it was responsible for more than 17,500 deaths in 2024.

But there is hope: is possible and it begins in our communities.

Ethnic community organisations have long called for culturally relevant, accessible resources that raise awareness and support lifestyle changes, especially during midlife, a critical window for protecting long-term brain health.

The latest article from Neos Kosmos, featuring Associate Professor Josefine Antoniades, highlights how the resources are helping multicultural communities take action through in-language, easy-to-use education on brain-healthy living.

🔗 Read the full story: https://neoskosmos.com/en/2025/11/19/news/community/the-power-of-prevention-in-the-fight-against-dementia-is-in-the-hands-of-our-community/

25/11/2025

❓Have you checked out the newly launched resources?

La Trobe University has released a free, culturally tailored dementia-education kit to support councils, community organisations and bilingual educators.

Developed with multicultural communities, the kit provides in-language slides, facilitator guides, participant handouts and take-home brain-health tips in , , and .

🧠 Why it matters:
Up to 40% of dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle-related risk reduction. These resources help communities take action in ways that are culturally meaningful and accessible.

📥 Explore the resources: https://www.mindcare.org.au/preventing-dementia/educator-and-participant-resources

20/11/2025

✨ Launching MindCare: Culturally Tailored Dementia Education Resources

Last week, co-design partners, researchers and community representatives gathered to celebrate the launch of , a suite of culturally tailored educational resources designed to increase understanding of the modifiable risk factors for dementia.

Co-created with community members, health professionals and service providers, provides practical, evidence-based materials in , , and . These resources empower bilingual community educators to deliver clear, engaging workshops that strengthen understanding of dementia risk factors and support brain-healthy living.

Educators have access to:
🖥️ In-language presenter slide packs with extensive speaker notes (Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi, Arabic)
📘 A detailed facilitator manual (English)
📝 Participant handouts in-language and in English
💡 Take-home tip sheets on dementia risk reduction (Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi, Arabic)

All materials are free for non-commercial use and available here:
🔗 https://www.mindcare.org.au/preventing-dementia/educator-and-participant-resources

A heartfelt thank you to all our co-design partners, community members, organisations and service providers for contributing their insight, expertise and lived experience to bring to life. 💛

Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Multicultural Aged Care
South Western Sydney Local Health District
SydWest Multicultural Services
Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services Inc.
FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities'​ Councils of Australia)
Hellenic Community of Western Australia Inc.
Muslim Women's Association of South Australia (MWASA)
Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing
Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC)
Greek Welfare Centre Community Services (GWSCS)

19/11/2025

✨ Partnering for Impact: MindCare Collective’s In-Person PAG Meeting

Last week, we brought our Program Advisory Group (PAG) together for an in-person meeting - a valuable opportunity to share progress across the MindCare programs and reflect on next steps. The PAG is currently chaired by Mrs Dilnaz Billimoria.

It was wonderful to reconnect with our PAG members, whose expertise and lived experience continue to shape the cultural relevance, quality and direction of our work. Together, we:

🔍 Reviewed key milestones across MindCare Digital and MindCare4Women
📣 Discussed upcoming priorities, including community workshops, trial activities and new resource development
🗣️Reflected on the role of the PAG, ensuring our co-design and governance processes continue to centre CALD communities

A heartfelt thank you to all our PAG members for your guidance, thoughtful feedback and commitment to promoting dementia risk reduction and brain-healthy living across culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

We look forward to the next phase and to continuing this journey together. 💛

10/11/2025

🥟 Dumplings Against Depression 2025

This past Saturday (8 Nov), our team joined the event at the Immigration Museum - spending the day connecting with volunteers, community organisations, mental health practitioners, and members of the public passionate about multicultural mental health.

We were proud to showcase our programs, highlighting the importance of positive mental health and social connection in supporting brain health and dementia prevention.

It was inspiring to see so much interest and positive feedback about our work. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more and share their experiences.

The event was presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission in partnership with Solis - Culture & Mental Health, and funded by the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

💬 We look forward to continuing these important conversations about mental wellbeing across communities.

07/11/2025

💕 MindCare4Women: Co-Design Workshops in Action Across WA & NSW

Over the past few weeks, we’ve completed six co-design workshops with women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities — made possible through our partnerships with:

🤝 Multicultural WA (Multicultural Services Centre of WA)
🤝 Hellenic Community of Western Australia Inc.
🤝 SydWest Multicultural Services
🤝 South Western Sydney Local Health District

So far, 43 women aged 40+ from Arabic, Greek, Hindi, Punjabi, Vietnamese and Sub-Saharan African backgrounds have participated.

Together, we explored:
🧠 Modifiable risk factors for dementia
💬 Women’s experiences and priorities around brain and general health
❤️ Cultural, social and gender-based factors shaping prevention and care

A heartfelt thank you to all participants and partner organisations for your time, lived experience and invaluable contributions. More in-language workshops will be held before the end of the year as we continue co-designing the MindCare4Women program.

👉 Learn more about : https://www.mindcare.org.au/about-us/our-projects/mindcare4women

31/10/2025

Last weekend, our team delivered the final workshop in , marking the completion of our national workshop series.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Ethnic Communities Council of WA (ECCWA) for their generous support and partnership in engaging local multicultural communities. Their leadership and networks were instrumental in making this final workshop a success.

Thank you to all participants who shared their experiences and insights. Your voices continue to guide the co-design of MindCare Digital, ensuring our dementia-prevention resources remain culturally relevant, accessible, and meaningful for everyone.

23/10/2025

We’re incredibly proud of Dilnaz Billimoria, our Project Advisory Group (PAG) Chair and Consumer Chief Investigator across MindCare, MindCare4Women, and MindCare Digital (MCD), who has been honoured with the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Award for Promotion of Multiculturalism.

Since joining us in 2021 on the first MRFF-funded MindCare grant, Dilnaz has:

✨ Brought powerful lived-experience leadership to our research
✨ Championed culturally tailored, evidence-based brain-health programs
✨ Strengthened partnerships and community engagement
✨ Been the calm voice who can solve most challenges in one call

From all of us at MindCare Collective: Congratulations, Dilnaz! Your leadership and impact inspire us every day. 🌟

📸 In picture (L-R): Associate Professor Josefine Antoniades and Ms Dilnaz Billimoria

22/10/2025

❓Did you miss the webinar on dementia prevention with Professor Naaheed Mukadam and Dr David Sykes?

Don’t worry! You can now catch up on the full recording here
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-fE_2GSlDc&list=PLAwhBH-4GO5g-1I_OF3thYXNXT3wen88Z&index=19

This webinar, hosted by Dementia Australia and supported by La Trobe University, explored opportunities for dementia prevention, drawing on insights from the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care.

The discussion highlighted how this evidence can inform practice, policy, and care in Australia and what it means for communities, carers, and organisations working to reduce dementia risk.

We encourage you to watch and share this important conversation.

17/10/2025

💞 Celebrating a global milestone for dementia advocacy

On 25 September, the United Nations Member States reached a historic decision: Dementia will, for the first time, be formally recognised within the new UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, as a leading NCD.

We’re still celebrating this achievement, made possible through two years of dedicated advocacy by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) and the voices of millions of families, advocates, and organisations worldwide calling for action.

At MindCare Collective, we see this as an important moment: one that amplifies the urgency of our work to promote dementia prevention and care, particularly for multicultural communities.

👉 Formal adoption of the declaration is expected at the next UN General Assembly meeting in the coming weeks.

After two years of dedicated and persistent advocacy by ADI, dementia will, for the first time, be formally recognised within the new UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, as a leading NCD.

08/10/2025

What a lovely day! Thank you so much to everyone for joining us. A special shout-out to our local partners, Central Queensland Multicultural Association Inc. and ECCQ - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland for making this possible.

07/10/2025

🌴 What an inspiring day in ! We had the delight of delivering a co-designed workshop with the Pacific Islander community, hosted at the Central Queensland Multicultural Association Inc. (CQMA).

This workshop was made possible through the incredible support of our partners. A special thank you to the ECCQ - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland and CQMA to help bring the session to life.

Together, we explored practical ways to reduce dementia risk and keep our brains healthy through lifestyle changes, regular health checks, and community connection. The rich discussions and lived experiences shared by participants made the session truly meaningful and culturally grounded.

Learn more about MindCare Digital here: https://www.mindcare.org.au/about-us/our-projects/mindcare-digital