Professor Henry Brodaty AO

2026 Senior Australian of the Year & Dementia Treatment Pioneer – Professor Henry Brodaty AO is transforming the diagnosis, care and prevention of dementia – improving countless lives, both in Australia and around the world.

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2026 Senior Australian of the Year & Dementia Treatment Pioneer – Professor Henry Brodaty AO is transforming the diagnosis, care and prevention of dementia – improving countless lives, both in Australia and around the world.

In 1972, Henry’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at just 52 years old. At that time, dementia was poorly understood and often ignored. People living with dementia and carers had little support and no pathway forward. 

His father’s experience catalysed a lifetime of work that not only revolutionised Henry’s own field of psychiatry, but also the lives of people living with dementia and their families. 

In 2012, Henry co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing and led internationally significant research that enhanced the world’s understanding of risk and prevention. His large Maintain Your Brain trial demonstrated that straightforward, cost-effective, targeted interventions can profoundly delay onset and even prevent dementia.

Professor Henry Brodaty AO is a leader who has reshaped dementia care from every angle as he navigates toward a future where dementia is better treated and prevented.

Key Info: 

  • 2026 Senior Australian of the Year: Awarded for reshaping dementia care and research in Australia and globally.
  • Pioneer in Dementia Care: Established one of Australia’s first memory clinics in 1985.
  • Advocacy: Co-founded Alzheimer’s Australia (now Dementia Australia) in the early 1980s.
  • Tool Development: Developed the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG), a widely used, rapid screening tool for dementia.
  • Research: Led the Maintain Your Brain trial, which showed that targeted, online, and lifestyle interventions can delay or prevent dementia onset.
  • Awards:
    – Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2002 for services to geriatric psychiatry and dementia care.
    – Recipient of the Ryman Prize (2016) for excellence in research into ageing.
    – Named the 2026 Senior Australian of the Year for his pioneering contributions to dementia care and research


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    Australian of the YearProfessor Henry Brodaty AO