Guest Speaker.
Kristy Clapp – Brain Hub coming to Whyalla in April.
Kristy has lived most of her life in Whyalla. She is a Clinical Nurse Consultant With Dementia Australia. After 22 years of general nursing, she is now in the final year of her diploma for dementia care.
The Dementia Australia Brian Hub is coming to Whyalla between the 20th and 24th of April. There will be three presenters, Kristy (Clinical Nurse Consultant-Nightingale Program), Russell Venning and Jenny Adams -Dementia Support Specialists. At Dementia Australia, we are passionate about, building knowledge, understanding, and compassion. The Brain Hub is one of the ways they bring that to life. It’s not just a program, it’s a community focussed initiative designed to educate, empower, and connect people.
Through the Brain Hub, they offer a range of free, flexible sessions that can be tailored to suit any group’s needs. This might include dementia information workshops or even attending events or meetings as guest speakers.
Sessions can cover a variety of important and practical topics, such as:
Tips for keeping our brains healthy as we age
Understanding what dementia is, and what it isn’t
Key statistics and insights to help make sense of the impact
How to support family members, friends and colleagues living with dementia
The services and supports available through Dementia Australia
All sessions are completely free and can be adapted to suit different audiences, whether that’s community groups, workplaces or the general public.
(Rotarian Brian Moodie giving the vote of thanks)
A little bit about dementia:
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a cluster of conditions that can have different causes. It is not a normal part of ageing. As there are over 150 different types of dementia, each person is unique and the progression and symptoms will differ. No two people are affected the same way. The four most common types are Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. The hallmark of dementia is the inability to carry out everyday activities because of diminished cognitive ability.
Education around dementia is more important now than ever. In 2026, there are an estimated 446,500 Australians living with dementia. An estimated 1.7 million people in Australia are involved in the care of someone living with dementia. Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. The reality is, we are going to encounter a person living with dementia in our everyday lives. The person may be a relative, a neighbour, or part of a social group. It could be us down the track.
Dementia touches so many lives, yet there is still a significant gap in understanding. Without awareness, people can feel isolated, misunderstood, or unsupported. But with knowledge comes confidence, empathy, and the ability to act.