Abstract
By 2030, an estimated 78 million people worldwide will be living with dementia, with annual costs projected to reach US$2.8 trillion, placing a significant social and economic strain on the healthcare system. This challenge is magnified in rural Australia, where geographic isolation and limited access to healthcare services contribute to dementia prevalence rates up to five times higher than in urban areas. With no cure currently available, interventions targeting modifiable risk factors are a key strategy for dementia prevention and awareness.
Building on prior consultations with rural communities, our study aimed to identify local resources and collaboratively co-design a practical, sustainable dementia risk reduction prototype with consumers (n = 16) and key stakeholders (n = 7). A total of 23 rural Australians (aged 29-89, 82.6% female) participated in three workshop sessions: (1) creating an asset map to identify community strengths and challenges related to dementia risk, (2) brainstorming practical solutions leveraging local resources to support dementia prevention and awareness, and (3) developing a dementia risk reduction prototype tailored to the community’s specific challenges and needs.
The co-design process resulted in a dementia risk reduction prototype aimed at enhancing support for caregivers within the community. The prototype is centred on three core areas: promoting healthy lifestyles, fostering mental wellbeing, and providing accessible, evidence-based dementia information. To improve community engagement, the prototype incorporates an interactive framework based on nutritional incentives, social activities, and educational resources.
Moving forward, community members and key stakeholders will play a critical role in supporting the dementia risk reduction prototype through a pilot test. The goal is to ensure the prototype’s sustainability, with an emphasis on community-led delivery and autonomy. This approach offers potential for long-term impact in the pilot community and provides a scalable model for addressing dementia risk reduction in other rural and underserved regions.