The numbers are staggering: in 2025, an estimated 433,300 Australians are living with dementia, projected to nearly double to 812,500 by 2054.
Even more sobering? Nearly $3.7 billion was spent directly on dementia care in 2020-21, with individual residential care costs averaging $88,000 per person annually.
But here's what most Australians don't know: a groundbreaking 15-minute online test, developed right here in Australia, could help you take control of your brain health before it's too late.
The Australian tool that's changing everything
The CogDRisk tool isn't just another online health quiz. This Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Reduction uses validated instruments and scoring algorithms based on systematic reviews of observational studies.
Unlike tools that focus mainly on cardiovascular risks, CogDrisk identifies 17 risk and protective factors for dementia, giving you a comprehensive picture of your brain health.
What sets this tool apart is its rigorous scientific foundation. This is the most extensive validation conducted on any dementia risk assessment tool, with external validation across four different datasets from two countries.
The validation studies showed accuracy rates (AUC values) ranging from 0.66 to 0.77 across different populations, meaning it's genuinely predictive rather than just informative.
'Dementia prevention is a whole new field, and a whole new way of thinking. We also talk more now about neuroplasticity, which is the fact that the brain is plastic right into very old age'
How the assessment actually works
Anyone 18 years and above can complete the assessment, with personalised reports and recommendations provided using national and international guidelines.
But here's what makes it particularly relevant for older Australians: individuals aged 40 and above receive an evidence-based risk score, while those 60 and above get specific risk scores along with tailored recommendations to reduce their dementia risk.
The tool has evolved significantly since its launch. There's now a midlife-specific version called CogDrisk-ML that offers improved predictive accuracy, and combined with the original tool, provides comprehensive dementia prevention throughout the life course.
For busy individuals, a CogDrisk Short Form has been developed for situations where time and resources are limited.
The 14 modifiable risk factors that could halve your dementia risk
- Obesity and physical inactivity
- Smoking and heavy alcohol use
- High cholesterol and high blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Air pollution exposure
- Hearing loss and untreated vision loss
- Not completing secondary education
- Social isolation and depression
- Traumatic brain injury
The financial reality hitting Australian families
The cost implications of dementia are enormous for Australian families. In 2020-21, $1.8 billion was spent on residential aged care services for people with dementia—nearly half of all direct dementia expenditure.
Community-based aged care services cost another $741 million, highlighting the massive financial burden even before residential care becomes necessary.
But perhaps the most telling statistic: an estimated 1.7 million Australians are involved in caring for someone living with dementia. This represents an enormous hidden cost in terms of lost wages, career interruptions, and family stress.
Did you know?
Did you know? Two-thirds of people with dementia live in the community rather than residential care, meaning family members often become primary carers with little support or preparation.
Your next steps: beyond the assessment
Taking the CogDrisk assessment is just the beginning. You can set up an account to save your results and repeat the assessment over time, allowing you to track improvements as you address risk factors.
The assessment pairs well with other Australian-developed tools. The BrainTrack app, mentioned in the original research, helps monitor cognitive changes over time. 'We developed BrainTrack as a tool for people who might be concerned about their memory,' explains Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan.
The app allows you to track how you're processing information and memory function, creating data you can share with your GP.
Different CogDrisk versions for different needs
CogDrisk: Full assessment for comprehensive risk evaluation (15 minutes)
CogDrisk-ML: Specifically designed for people in midlife (40-65 years)
CogDrisk-SF: Short form for quick screening when time is limited
CogDrisk-AD: Specialised version focused specifically on Alzheimer's disease risk
All versions available free at cogdrisk.neura.edu.au
What the science tells us about prevention
The CogDrisk tool has the potential to inform patients and health practitioners in targeting specific risk factors for individuals, providing personalised advice in clinical settings.
This individualised approach is crucial because the overlap in risk and protective factors between dementia and other chronic diseases means a single predictive tool can be efficient for multiple health conditions.
The validation research shows the tool works across different populations. CogDrisk was predictive of dementia when validated across four high-quality international cohort studies, giving Australian users confidence in its reliability.
Professor Anstey emphasises the balance needed in prevention efforts: 'I think it's worth mentioning that there are people who are going to develop dementia despite having a healthy lifestyle.
Just like there are people who get lung cancer who've never smoked, there will be people who develop dementia despite addressing these lifestyle modifiers, and we would never want those people to believe it was in any way their 'fault'.'
Taking action: the conversation with your GP
The assessment generates a PDF report specifically designed for GP consultations. This evidence-based approach helps transform what might feel like vague concerns about memory into concrete, actionable discussions about brain health.
The assessment tool assists with implementing risk reduction guidelines, meaning your GP can use your results to create a targeted prevention strategy. Whether it's addressing hearing loss, managing blood pressure more effectively, or increasing social connections, the personalised recommendations give you and your doctor a roadmap for action.
A tool built by Australians, for Australians
Professor Kaarin Anstey, who developed the tool as Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and senior research scientist at NeuRA, designed CogDrisk specifically to bring high-quality research to the Australian public.
'There's no point in me knowing all this stuff as an expert—it needs to get out to the public, and this tool is based on robust research,' she explains.
The overwhelming response since the tool's promotion through major Australian news campaigns shows how desperately Australians want to take control of their brain health.
'We have been overwhelmed by the response from people wanting to take the CogDrisk assessment,' Professor Anstey noted, adding that the high demand demonstrates what a helpful tool it truly is.
What This Means For You
The beauty of CogDrisk lies in its practical approach to a frightening topic. More than half of Australians fear developing dementia, but fear without action helps no one. This tool transforms fear into empowerment, giving you concrete steps to protect your future self.
Are you ready to take 15 minutes today that could change your next 15 years? The assessment is waiting at cogdrisk.neura.edu.au, and your future self might just thank you for taking that first step.
What experiences have you had with online health tools, or what concerns do you have about assessing your dementia risk? We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions about taking control of your brain health.
Original Article
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/h...2cdaf5ff28b5e593b84fd1b761d401?from=rss-basic
Dementia facts and figures | Dementia Australia
Cited text: Dementia is the leading cause of death for Australian women.3 · In 2025 there are an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia.
Excerpt: in 2025, there are an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia, projected to nearly double to 812,500 by 2054
https://www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/dementia-facts-and-figures
Dementia facts and figures | Dementia Australia
Cited text: This figure is projected to increase to an estimated 812,500 by 2054 with a projected percentage change of 88 per cent.
Excerpt: in 2025, there are an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia, projected to nearly double to 812,500 by 2054
https://www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/dementia-facts-and-figures
Dementia in Australia, Health and aged care expenditure on dementia—Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Cited text: It is estimated that almost $3.7 billion of the total direct health and aged care system expenditure in 2020—21 was directly attributable to the diagn...
Excerpt: Nearly $3.7 billion was spent directly on dementia care in 2020-21
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dem.../health-and-aged-care-expenditure-on-dementia
Direct health and residential care costs of people living with dementia in Australian residential aged care—PMC
Cited text: The average annual whole‐of‐system cost for people living with dementia in residential care was approximately AU$88 000 (US$ 67 100) per person in 201...
Excerpt: individual residential care costs averaging $88,000 per person annually
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6032872/
Direct health and residential care costs of people living with dementia in Australian residential aged care—PubMed
Cited text: Results: The average annual whole-of-system cost for people living with dementia in residential care was approximately AU$88 000 (US$ 67 100) per pers...
Excerpt: individual residential care costs averaging $88,000 per person annually
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29292541/
Development of the CogDrisk tool to assess risk factors for dementia—PMC
Cited text: The final tool, called Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Reduction or “CogDrisk”, comprises the questionnaire and scoring algorithms.
Excerpt: This Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Reduction uses validated instruments and scoring algorithms based on systematic reviews of observational studies
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9275658/
Development of the CogDrisk tool to assess risk factors for dementia—PMC
Cited text: The RRs were used to develop a scoring algorithm, and risk assessment tools (Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Reduction [CogDrisk] an...
Excerpt: This Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Reduction uses validated instruments and scoring algorithms based on systematic reviews of observational studies
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9275658/
Development of the CogDrisk tool to assess risk factors for dementia—PMC
Cited text: Interpretation: We identified 13 risk factors for any dementia, and 11 factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), that had consistent evidence from reviews...
Excerpt: CogDrisk identifies 17 risk and protective factors for dementia
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9275658/
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COGDRISK DEMENTIA RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL AND INTERACTIVE WEBSITE—PMC
Cited text: Seventeen risk/protective factors were identified for inclusion in the dementia algorithm to estimate the risk of dementia while sixteen factors were ...
Excerpt: CogDrisk identifies 17 risk and protective factors for dementia
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9767189/
Validation of the CogDrisk Instrument as Predictive of Dementia in Four General Community-Dwelling Populations | The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
Cited text: To our knowledge, this is the most extensive validation conducted on any dementia risk assessment tool. The external validation samples include two co...
Excerpt: This is the most extensive validation conducted on any dementia risk assessment tool, with external validation across four different datasets from two countries
https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2023.38
Validation of the CogDrisk Instrument as Predictive of Dementia in Four General Community-Dwelling Populations | The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
Cited text: The overall AUC and 95 per cent CI for predicting dementia was 0.77 (0.57, 0.97) for the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, 0.76 (0.70, ...
Excerpt: accuracy rates (AUC values) ranging from 0.66 to 0.77 across different populations
https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2023.38
Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Assessment
Cited text: Individuals 18 years and above can complete the assessment. The information provided will be used to create a personalised report (both a PDF copy and...
Excerpt: Anyone 18 years and above can complete the assessment, with personalised reports and recommendations provided using national and international guidelines
https://cogdrisk.neura.edu.au/
Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Assessment
Cited text: The information provided will be used to create a personalised report (both a PDF copy and an online interactive profile) and recommendations will be ...
Excerpt: individuals aged 40 and above receive an evidence-based risk score
https://cogdrisk.neura.edu.au/
NeuRA | CogDrisk—Cognitive health and Dementia Risk Assessment |…
Cited text: A risk score along with recommendations to reduce their dementia risk will be provided to individuals aged 60 years and above.
Excerpt: those 60 and above get specific risk scores along with tailored recommendations to reduce their dementia risk
https://neura.edu.au/project/cogdrisk-cognitive-health-and-dementia-risk-assessment
Development of a midlife-specific CogDrisk algorithm (CogDrisk-ML) to enable validated implementation of dementia risk assessment from midlife to late life—PubMed
Cited text: The novel CogDrisk-ML for assessing dementia risk in midlife offers improved predictive accuracy. Combined with the CogDrisk tool for late life, it pr...
Excerpt: There's now a midlife-specific version called CogDrisk-ML that offers improved predictive accuracy, and combined with the original tool, provides comprehensive dementia prevention throughout the life course
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40685637/
Development of a midlife-specific CogDrisk algorithm (CogDrisk-ML) to enable validated implementation of dementia risk assessment from midlife to late life—PubMed
Cited text: Objectives: To develop CogDrisk-ML, a midlife dementia risk assessment tool that can complement the existing CogDrisk tool for late-life dementia risk...
Excerpt: There's now a midlife-specific version called CogDrisk-ML that offers improved predictive accuracy, and combined with the original tool, provides comprehensive dementia prevention throughout the life course
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40685637/
Development and Concurrent Validity of the Short-Form CogDrisk Dementia Risk Assessment Tool—PubMed
Cited text: We developed the CogDrisk Short Form (CogDrisk-SF) to assess dementia risk factors, for situations where time and resources are limited.
Excerpt: a CogDrisk Short Form has been developed for situations where time and resources are limited
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39559886/
Dementia in Australia, Health and aged care expenditure on dementia—Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Cited text: The health and aged care system expenditure directly attributable to dementia was mainly for: residential aged care services—$1.8 billion or 49 per cent of ...
Excerpt: In 2020-21, $1.8 billion was spent on residential aged care services for people with dementia—nearly half of all direct dementia expenditure
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dem.../health-and-aged-care-expenditure-on-dementia
Dementia facts and figures | Dementia Australia
Cited text: This can include people in their 30s, 40s and 50s.5 · An estimated 1.7 million people in Australia are involved in the care of someone living with dem...
Excerpt: an estimated 1.7 million Australians are involved in caring for someone living with dementia
https://www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/dementia-facts-and-figures
Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Assessment
Cited text: An option to set up an account will be provided to save your results and repeat the assessment
Excerpt: You can set up an account to save your results and repeat the assessment over time
https://cogdrisk.neura.edu.au/
Validation of the CogDrisk Instrument as Predictive of Dementia in Four General Community-Dwelling Populations | The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
Cited text: The CogDrisk tool also has the potential to inform patient and health practitioners in targeting specific risk factors for individuals thus providing ...
Excerpt: The CogDrisk tool has the potential to inform patients and health practitioners in targeting specific risk factors for individuals, providing personalised advice in clinical settings
https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2023.38
Validation of the CogDrisk Instrument as Predictive of Dementia in Four General Community-Dwelling Populations | The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
Cited text: Given the overlap in risk and protective factors of dementia with other chronic diseases, a single predictive tool for dementia and other conditions m...
Excerpt: the overlap in risk and protective factors between dementia and other chronic diseases means a single predictive tool can be efficient for multiple health conditions
https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2023.38
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COGDRISK DEMENTIA RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL AND INTERACTIVE WEBSITE—PMC
Cited text: CogDrisk and the CogDrisk-AD were predictive of dementia and AD when validated across four high-quality international cohort studies.
Excerpt: CogDrisk was predictive of dementia when validated across four high-quality international cohort studies
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9767189/
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COGDRISK DEMENTIA RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL AND INTERACTIVE WEBSITE | Innovation in Aging | Oxford Academic
Cited text: CogDrisk and the CogDrisk-AD were predictive of dementia and AD when validated across four high-quality international cohort studies.
Excerpt: CogDrisk was predictive of dementia when validated across four high-quality international cohort studies
https://academic.oup.com/innovateage/article/6/Supplement_1/778/6939326
Development of the CogDrisk tool to assess risk factors for dementia—PubMed
Cited text: The assessment tool will assist with implementing risk reduction guidelines.
Excerpt: The assessment tool assists with implementing risk reduction guidelines
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35845259/
Seniors Discount Club
Latest Articles
-
This 30kg 'monster' in house roof shows why every Australian home needs urgent protection
- Started by Gian T
- Replies: 0
-
Everyone’s talking about this Kmart hat—but is it worth the $6 price tag?
- Started by Maan
- Replies: 0
-
Startling scene shows magpie swooping behaviour reaching alarming levels this season
- Started by Gian T
- Replies: 0
-
-
Your air fryer could be making you seriously ill—here's how you can stay safe
- Started by Maan
- Replies: 0
.png){kind=icon}
