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The auditorium of the Souths Juniors was buzzing on Wednesday for the annual Eastern Suburbs Older Persons’ Mental Health Services forum, with a focus on inspiring and enabling positive ageing. This year’s highly anticipated event, Ageing with Confidence: Maintaining Mental Health & Safety, aimed to provide expert strategies to help older people avoid scams and address the growing issue of elder abuse.

The official opening of the forum was made by Dr Gregory Levenston OAM, Acting Chair of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD), who said the event continues to grow in popularity and impact.

Deputy Mayor of Randwick City Council, Claire Willington, delivered an Acknowledgement of Country and spoke about the Council’s commitment to creating opportunities for independence and connection among older residents, and to fostering a community where ageing is both supported and celebrated.

SESLHD Acting General Manager of Mental Health Services, Antonia Ottovio, acknowledged the diversity of the local community and emphasised that inclusivity and person-centred care are key to achieving good mental health outcomes for all.

The free event, held in partnership with the SESLHD, Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service, Randwick City Council, Waverley Council, Souths Juniors and the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at ���������¼�, continued its proud tradition of delivering informative and practical strategies for older people.

This year’s keynote speaker was veteran journalist and broadcaster Robyn Williams AO, best known for hosting ABC’s The Science Show. Speaking ‘On Ageing’, Robyn, now 82, joked, “I’ve been ageing since I was born.”  Reflecting more seriously, he shared that he had already outlived his parents and brother, who all passed away by the age of 60. He attributed his good health to following the advice of experts - eating well, drinking alcohol only in moderation and exercising regularly, including resistance training. Robyn also raised concerns about the impact of constant digital connectivity, noting that “technology drives us to be ‘on’ all the time,” which can distort relationships and have unknown consequences for brain health.

Elizabeth Shaw and Fiona Tait from Relationships Australia addressed the serious and often hidden issue of elder abuse, which affects one in six older Australians. They explained that psychological abuse, typically committed by close relatives such as a spouse, child or sibling, is the most common form. Risk factors include social isolation, poor mental health, and stressful life changes - while maintaining a strong social network and speaking up about mistreatment are important protective factors. “Ageism is the single biggest obstacle to the detection and recognition of elder abuse,” they said.

Dr Zoe Menczel Schrire from the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney shared insights from an ongoing randomised controlled trial investigating whether learning to play an instrument or singing in a choir can slow cognitive decline and help prevent dementia.

Author, clinician and former SESLHD chairperson, Dr Deb Graves OAM spoke movingly about her experience caring for her husband with dementia, chronicled in her book To Dementia With Love. Rejecting conventional approaches early in the journey, Deb chose to prioritise joy and dignity, continuing activities she and her husband loved such as travel, dining out and attending the opera.

“I knew my husband better than anyone else,” she said. “We chose our own path.”

Dr Graves encouraged anyone concerned about changes in memory or behaviour to seek professional advice early. “Putting off a diagnosis is not good for your loved one,” she said.

Her five practical tips for anyone navigating the dementia journey were:

• There is no rulebook
• Focus on dignity in everyday life; preserve connection and respect
• Accept help and build your team
• Hold onto joy
• Remember love is stronger than dementia

After morning tea, Ms Zara Page, PhD candidate at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), engaged the audience with a series of brain games to test memory and attention. “We all want a healthy brain - it is never too late and it is never too early to start training,” she said.

The final speakers of the day were Ms Dung Nguyen from the National Anti-Scam Centre and Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty AO, Honorary Medical Officer of the Older Persons’ Mental Health Service at Prince of Wales Hospital and Co-Director of CHeBA.

Ms Nguyen offered practical advice on how to Avoid Scams, noting that in 2024 alone, nearly half a million Australians reported being scammed, with total losses exceeding $2 billion. She explained that scammers rely on impersonation, urgency and emotion to deceive their victims, and urged people to remember three key words: “Stop. Check. Protect.”

“If something doesn’t feel right, stop, fact-check, and talk to someone you trust,” said Ms Nguyen. Scams can be reported to police or at

Audience favourite Professor Henry Brodaty closed the forum with a presentation on Risks and Strategies for Changed Behaviours in dementia. He explained that addressing behavioural symptoms is crucial, not only because they can be distressing, but because they are linked with poorer outcomes, higher hospitalisation rates, and greater costs of care.

He outlined four key contributing factors to consider:

• Social environment - too much or too little stimulation and social isolation
• Interpersonal relationships - conflict or mistreatment
• Psychological factors - fear, frustration, anxiety or depression
• Biological factors- underlying disease processes or infections causing delirium

“Always try to identify possible causes of changed behaviours first. Psychological, social and environmental strategies should always be tried before using medications. These can have serious side effects and should be reserved for when other strategies have failed,” he cautioned.

Professor Brodaty recommended resources such as the Care4Dementia app and the Guide for Carers (2023), both freely available through CHeBA, to support carers managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (/cheba/clinical-care/guide-for-carers).

All presentations from the Ageing with Confidence: Maintaining Mental Health & Safety Forum can be accessed at: