Dementia is Global, a new podcast series, examines the different aspects of dementia—an epidemic that affects 50 million people worldwide—from the perspectives of leading experts. Created and hosted by Fionnuala Sweeney, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, the series aims to raise global brain health awareness, a need heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing.
“Separation in times of global crisis runs against our human instincts,” says Sweeney, a former anchor with CNN International and Director of Communications for the Atlantic Institute. “By exploring the attitudes and stigma associated with dementia, I hope Dementia is Global will help people feel more closely connected.”
In the series, which launched in April, Sweeney interviews leading experts in dementia prevention to promote brain health and its impact on individuals, families and communities. Her guests share a vast amount of expertise on dementia, including its relationship to music, advocacy, hope, resilience, empathy and more.
“Throughout this series you will hear a wide range of helpful perspectives on dementia and its prevention,” says Sweeney.
Produced by the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) and Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia is Global considers some of the positive approaches to living with dementia, and asks how science is working to combat the disease.
Featured guests include Helen Rochford Brennan, Dementia Advocate; Maria Carrillo, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Alzheimer’s Association; Brian Lawlor, MD, Deputy Director of GBHI; Bruce Miller, MD, Co-Director of GBHI; Cheyenne Mize, Music Therapist and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health; Elizabeth Mutunga, Founder and CEO of Alzheimer’s & Dementia Organization Kenya; Ian Robertson, PhD, Co-Director of GBHI; Victor Valcour, MD, PhD, Executive Director of GBHI.
“I hope the series will help to generate and distribute knowledge to advance the field of brain health/dementia prevention via an international audience,” says Sweeney.
Authors
Niall Kavanagh
Communications Officer
GBHI Members Mentioned
Fionnuala Sweeney
Journalist & Broadcaster
Brian Lawlor, MD, FRCPI, FRCPsych
Site Director, Trinity College Dublin
Ian Robertson, MPhil, PhD, FTCD
Founding Director, Trinity College Dublin
Bruce Miller, MD
Founding Director, University of California, San Francisco
Cheyenne Mize, MT-BC
Music Therapist, Community Music Advocate
Victor Valcour, MD, PhD
Site Director, University of California, San Francisco
