A program to boost physical activity in older adults living in the regions will be the focus of a new Murdoch University-led study into lowering dementia risk.
Physical activity can reduce dementia risk, but concerningly two-thirds of Australian older adults are not active enough.
Inactivity is especially prevalent in regional and remote areas where there are fewer health resources and less access to flexible, long-term programs.
Dr Kelsey Sewell from Murdoch University’s School of Allied Health has been awarded a fellowship to trial an innovative web-based program called Small Steps to help older adults in regional WA become more active.
“Earlier research has found that as many as 43,000 cases of dementia in Australia could be attributable to physical inactivity – this is far too many,” Dr Sewell said.
“Small Steps aims to make exercise easier for older adults in the regions by offering tailored support, simple goal setting, such as walking during TV ad breaks, and education about how physical activity can reduce dementia risk.
“I’d like to thank the WA Government and The Hospital Research Foundation Group for selecting this project for the Early-to-Mid Career Research Fellowship.
“If successful, Small Steps could eventually be rolled out more broadly to improve brain health across Australia, helping to reduce dementia risk in hard-to-reach communities.”
The Small Steps online programwill be co-designed with older adults through a series of workshops beginning in 2026.
The programwill include a fully remote delivery model, an AI chatbot that offers personalised guidance 24/7, and the option for social connection with others in the program, which is important for motivation and long-term success.
The second phase of the study, expected to begin in 2027, will seek to recruit 62 people over age 50 who are not currently meeting physical activity guidelines.
Current recommendations for older Australians aged 65 years and over are to be active on most, preferably all days, with at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, and to incorporate both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
Participants will use Small Steps for eight months, with activity tracked through a wrist-worn device.
They will be tested for memory, thinking skills, and markers in the blood related to Alzheimer’s disease at pre- and post-intervention to see how effective the program is.
The Early-to-Mid Career Research Fellowship is jointly funded by the State Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund and The Hospital Research Foundation Group.
The project is a collaboration between Murdoch University and Adelaide University and will include collaborators from the United States. Small Steps was originally developed by Dr Ashleigh Smith from Adelaide University, and will now be adapted for remote delivery in Western Australia.
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that 425,000 people in Australia were living with dementia in 2024, equivalent to 16 in every 1,000 people.
Find out more about allied health at Murdoch University here.
