Reablement in practice: supporting cognitive health.

General Manager Growth and Innovation at HammondCare 

Marie has led Dementia Support Australia, a national service supporting people with complex dementia and those who care for them. With a background in social work, advocacy, and leadership, Marie brings over 20 years’ experience in behaviour support, complex dementia, and inclusive, rights-based care. She is a member of the Department of Health, Aged and Disability Expert Advisory Group, with expertise in complex dementia, design, trauma, and supporting people from diverse life experiences. Marie is also a published writer and regular media contributor, passionate about elevating lived experiences. 

Senior Research Fellow, University of New South Wales, Neuroscience Research Australia, HammondCare

8:10am (AWST) "Reablement to support people living with cognitive change and dementia"

Dr Claire O’Connor is a Senior Research Fellow at UNSW’s School of Psychology, with affiliations at NeuRA and HammondCare, and is also a registered occupational therapist. She leads research on implementing non‑pharmacological dementia interventions, focusing on reablement, function and wellbeing, and is passionate about producing research that genuinely supports people living with dementia and those who care for them.

Professor in Ageing and Health, University of Sydney

8:20am (AWST) "Everyday Reablement for People with Mild Cognitive Impairment"

Prof Low focuses on research that improves rehabilitation and post‑diagnostic support for people with dementia, with expertise spanning timely diagnosis, stigma, dementia literacy, aged care, and culturally diverse communities, alongside strong skills in designing complex interventions and large‑scale studies. She has authored over 180 peer‑reviewed papers and three dementia‑related books, and is an active advocate for better inclusion of older people, driven by her enthusiasm for research and even a fondness for statistics.

Associate Professor of Healthy Ageing 

9:00am (AWST) "Mind and Movement: Practical Strategies for Working Actively with Older Adults with Cognitive Decline" 

Elissa Burton is an Associate Professor of Healthy Ageing at Curtin University and a Harken‑Brightwater Fellow, with nearly 20 years of experience supporting older adults to live independently. She will share findings from her recent trial on falls‑prevention exercises for people with mild cognitive impairment, along with practical strategies for working with those experiencing cognitive decline.

Executive Director Services, Engagement and Research at Dementia Australia

10:35am (AWST) "Brain health, reablement and dementia: what can it look like?" 

Kaele oversees all of Dementia Australia’s client‑facing services along with its community development, engagement and research activities, drawing on nearly 20 years in health and ageing and a strong commitment to quality services, consumer voice and dementia‑friendly community initiatives. She has held multiple roles across the organisation and previously worked in retirement living and aged care, building on an earlier career that included completing an M.Phil and PhD at the University of Cambridge, working in publishing, and running her own grant‑writing consultancy.

Principal Consultant, AgeFIT Solutions

11:15am (AWST) "More Than Care: Reablement for People Experiencing Cognitive Change"

Dr Tim Henwood is a nationally recognised reablement expert with decades of aged care experience, known for championing best‑practice reablement and wellness to support older adults’ health and independence. With over 100 publications and more than 130 conference presentations, he has recently led major evidence‑translation initiatives to expand allied health and respite services while improving client wellbeing, and now helps aged care providers strengthen their reablement and wellness programs.

Dementia Doula & Founder, Tamara Henwood Consulting

11:15am (AWST) "More than Care: Reablement for People Experiencing Cognitive Change"

Tamara Henwood is a speaker, consultant and dementia doula who bridges evidence, lived experience and everyday practice, advocating for trauma‑informed, reablement‑focused approaches that protect agency, identity and dignity. She supports families, support workers and organisations to move beyond deficit‑based thinking through practical strategies that reduce burnout, build capability and maintain connection, championing the belief that changing cognition signals not an end to possibility but a shift in how we support people to live well.

Principal Advisor - Healthy Ageing & Reablement

11:15am (AWST) "More than Care: Reablement for People Experiencing Cognitive Change"

Hilary is one of the driving forces behind the development of Keep Able. With 40 years as an occupational therapist, Hilary has worked across several clinical and community settings in the disability and aged care sectors. She is passionate about supporting older people to achieve not only a long lifespan but also a long health span. Hilary has presented extensively on wellness and reablement and encourages everyone to “start small and start today".

Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney

1:35pm (AWST)"How to improve your Mental and Social Health"  

Dr Samtani researches how social interactions support mental and physical health and was awarded a Dementia Australia Research Foundation Fellowship to reduce loneliness for people with memory changes and dementia, alongside his work as a clinical psychologist. He will share insights from studies involving over 30,000 people worldwide, offering practical guidance on the types of social interaction that protect mental health, prevent dementia, support independence and help people lead healthier, happier lives.