Cutting rural dementia risk through community collaboration
Dementia is a leading cause of death in Australia, and while urban-rural differences in risk are not fully understood, a new University of South Australia initiative aims to change that. Re-ACTIVate brings together regional communities to identify whether country living affects dementia susceptibility and to co-create prevention strategies that fit the realities of rural life.
What is Re-ACTIVate and why it matters
Re-ACTIVate is the first study of its kind to assess modifiable dementia risk factors among older rural Australians and to develop a practical toolkit tailored to country settings. Building on UniSA’s ACTIVate research, which linked time use to cognition and brain volume, the project will compare dementia risk and brain health between rural and urban adults. As Associate Professor Ashleigh Smith notes, dementia is not an inevitability of aging; up to half of cases could be prevented by changing everyday behaviours, and rural contexts require targeted action.
Why rural Australia needs a tailored approach
Rural and regional communities face distinct challenges: limited access to healthcare, longer distances to services, fewer opportunities for physical activity, and different social and work patterns. Re-ACTIVate acknowledges these differences and seeks to address them head-on by mapping local resources and developing prevention strategies that are realistic for country life. The project emphasizes equity — ensuring rural residents have the same opportunities to protect brain health as those in cities.
How the study will work
Over the next six months, UniSA researchers will engage with rural communities to inventory available services, identify gaps, and co-design feasible dementia prevention approaches. The initiative will culminate in a dementia prevention toolkit — a suite of user-friendly resources that empower country people to reduce risk and maintain brain health for longer. Britt Burton, a PhD candidate and researcher on the project, stresses that rural solutions must reflect the lived realities of country life rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Modifiable risk factors and practical prevention
Evidence points to at least 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia, including smoking, diet, physical activity, and social isolation. Re-ACTIVate will explore how these factors manifest in rural settings and how they can be mitigated with local supports. By co-designing interventions with community members, the project aims to produce strategies that are doable, culturally appropriate, and scalable across similar country communities.
From study to impact: the future of dementia prevention in the countryside
By placing rural communities at the center of the solution, Re-ACTIVate hopes to accelerate meaningful improvements in brain health and cognitive aging for generations to come. Association Professor Smith highlights that the ultimate goal is to create an equitable, sustainable toolkit that rural Australians can rely on to protect their brains as they age, while demonstrating a model that could be adapted to other regions facing similar challenges.
How to participate
The team is seeking participants aged 60–80 from the Yorke Peninsula for the Re-ACTIVate study, and adults over 18 from Port Lincoln and Berri (and surrounds) for co-design sessions. An online option is being explored for those further afield. Interested individuals can contact Britt Burton at britt.burton@mymail.unisa.edu.au to register interest or learn more.
Looking ahead
With more than 425,000 Australians living with dementia and projections of more than a million by 2065, proactive, community-led prevention is essential. Re-ACTIVate represents a meaningful step toward understanding rural dementia risk and delivering practical, locally grounded solutions that keep country communities healthy, connected, and thriving for years to come.
