Public Forums

More than 400 people from around the globe joined together online for the October Eastern Suburbs Older Persons’ Mental Health Service’s healthy ageing forum, Keeping Connected: Social Health and Ageing.

The free event, supported by CHeBA, sought to promote finding ways to remain socially connected and implement strategies to combat adversity, with special guest – social researcher and author of The Kindness Revolution Hugh Mackay AO telling the audience that as humans we are members of a social species and therefore built to connect: “We are hopeless in social isolation”.

Mr Mackay said the sort of global social trends that have been reshaping us - such as shrinking households, busyness, and our enthusiastic embrace of social media - have all been contributing to social fragmentation and increasing the risk of social isolation.

“This distracts us from the idea that, as members of a cooperative species, we all need to engage with the task of building social harmony.”

Other speakers included Postdoctoral Fellow from CHeBA, Dr Suraj Samtani, who discussed the importance of social connections for mental health, Geriatrician and CHeBA Research Fellow Dr Stephanie Ward, who showed a heartwarming highlight from the intergenerational project she was involved with: ABC’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, and Professor Henry Brodaty, CHeBA Co-Director, who recapped the various stressors we all experienced during the wake of the COVID-19 Ruby Princess outbreak. Professor Brodaty explained the stress response in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and touched on how resilience can moderate the response. “Resilience is managing stress. Resilient people use more active coping styles to manage adversity.” - Professor Henry Brodaty AO

Interestingly, during the pandemic older adults have demonstrated less anxiety and depression than younger adults possibly on the average they are more resilient and more capable of regulating emotions than younger adults. This is due to the fact that older adults have a reservoir of knowledge and skills to help them adjust – and according to Professor Brodaty this is a learned process.

“Coping strategies are essential for our wellbeing,” said Professor Brodaty, who then listed four core components to building resilience: social connections, fostering wellness, embracing healthy thoughts and finding purpose.

Hugh Mackay AO Dr Suraj Samtani Dr Stephanie Ward Professor Henry Brodaty

Demystifying Brain Research Webinar

CHeBA Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Suraj Samtani was the key speaker at Youth Neuro Australia’s 2021 webinar event as part of Brain Awareness Week in March. Dr Samtani led an engaged student audience with his presentation: Demystifying Brain Research through the lens of an international dementia research collaboration, followed by a live Q&A.