MindCare Collective: Research-driven dementia prevention for multicultural Australia
Dementia is rising globally, and Australia’s multicultural communities are among the most affected. In 2021, 44% of people living with dementia in the community were born outside Australia, and in 2022 nearly one in four primary carers of people with dementia spoke a language other than English to the person they cared for, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Researchers at La Trobe University, led by Professor Bianca Brijnath and Associate Professor Josefine Antoniades, identified a critical gap in dementia research and practice: the limited availability of culturally appropriate, evidence-based programs to support dementia prevention and care in multicultural communities.
The MindCare Collective is La Trobe University’s flagship response to this challenge. The Collective brings together interconnected projects that advance dementia prevention and care through co-design, digital health innovation, and culturally responsive community-based interventions.
Key projects within the MindCare Collective include MindCare, MindCare4Women (MC4W) and MindCare Digital (MCD). Together, these initiatives address dementia prevention through community education, digital delivery, and culturally tailored approaches. Collectively, they have attracted more than $4.5 million in competitive research funding and are underpinned by strong partnerships with government, community organisations, and consumers across Australia.
MindCare resources, launched in December 2025, equips community sector workers to deliver culturally tailored, in-language workshops that support dementia risk reduction from mid-life onwards. Available in Vietnamese, Hindi, Greek and Arabic, the resources improve accessibility to evidence-based, culturally appropriate learning materials, enabling communities to take practical steps towards better brain health.
Early feedback highlights meaningful impacts on participants’ everyday health behaviours. One Vietnamese-speaking participant described becoming more mindful about medication use, sleep and cognitive activity following the MindCare workshop: “Before, I wasn’t always careful about when I took my medication. Now I follow the instructions more closely, pay more attention to my sleep, and try to exercise my mind. I also try to go to bed earlier, as watching videos late at night can make it easy to forget about sleep.”
Participants also emphasised the cultural appropriateness and accessibility of the materials. As one Greek-speaking participant reflected: “I thought the slides were acceptable and culturally appropriate. From the way others in the group responded, everyone seemed very engaged throughout the workshop.”
MindCare Digital is preparing for a 2026 trial to extend access to dementia prevention education through a culturally adapted online program. Co-designed with South Asian, Middle Eastern, Sub-Saharan African and Pacific Islander communities, the platform will share simple, culturally relevant tips to support brain health and can be accessed on phones, tablets or computers.
MindCare4Women will be delivered via community-based workshops that are tailored to women in key multicultural communities. The MindCare4Women program will further be developed as self-paced online learning modules, enabling multicultural women —including those in regional and remote areas — to access dementia risk-reduction education at a time and place that suits them. Resources will be available in early 2027.
Through the MindCare Collective, La Trobe University is translating research into real-world impact, supporting healthier ageing, strengthening community capacity and advancing more equitable dementia outcomes for multicultural communities.
To learn more about MindCare Collective, visit https://mindcare.org.au/