Defy Dementia – The podcast for anyone with a brain, by Baycrest

Baycrest
  • 5.0 (4)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Defy Dementia is an empowering new podcast by Baycrest that is dedicated to helping you reduce your dementia risk. Join us on a captivating exploration of key dementia risk factors as we interview experts, hear inspiring stories from persons with lived experience, and share practical advice to help you optimize your aging journey. Tune in and subscribe at defydementia.ca or anywhere you get your podcasts, and unlock the power to age fearlessly and defy dementia. Each episode will be complemented by a short video, infographic, and related resources to help you take control of your brain health. Defy Dementia is hosted by Jay Ingram (Canadian author and broadcaster) and Dr. Allison Sekuler (President and Chief Scientist, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation). The podcast is generously funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

  1. 5D AGO

    Getting Out from Under Depression

    Depression is a dementia risk factor. In this special episode marking Blue Monday – a day to discuss mental health – we’ll discuss the relationship between depression and dementia. We’ll hear from Faith Rockburne, Peer Support Specialist with St. Michael's Hospital and an Educator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, as she shares her journey with depression, and the tools and strategies she used to break her cycle of mental illness, including never losing hope. And Dr. Zahinoor Ismail, Clinician Scientist and Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Epidemiology, and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, will share his learnings and insights on the link between depression and dementia risk, and some of the ways depression can be treated and managed. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts. ​​Faith Rockburne is a Lived Experience Advocate for mental health. Since 2013, Faith has shared her journey with mental illness with a wide variety of audiences to help break the stigma of mental illness. She is also a Peer Support Specialist with St. Michael's Hospital and an Educator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Zahinoor Ismail is a Clinician Scientist and Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Epidemiology, and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary. He is certified in Behavioural Neurology & Neuropsychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry, with over 25 years of clinical experience. He has published almost 350 scientific papers, is Chair of the Canadian Conference on Dementia and of the Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia Guideline Group, and was Co-Chair of the Government of Canada Ministerial Advisory Board for Dementia from 2023-2025.

    40 min

  2. 12/16/2025

    The Science of Giving Back

    Volunteering has been associated with better self-reported health and reduced loneliness. Now, science is suggesting that it may also boost brain health. As we celebrate the spirit of giving at this time of year, we’re celebrating how volunteering not only benefits others, but can also help protect your brain and reduce your dementia risk. We’ll speak to lifelong volunteer Rev. Dianne Parker and learn how volunteering may have shaped her brain health. Later, we’ll hear from researcher Dr. Nicole Anderson, who has examined the link between volunteerism and brain health, and how volunteering supports physical activity, cognitive engagement and social interaction, each known to support healthy aging. Tune in at defydementia.org or anywhere you get your podcasts

    34 min

  3. 11/26/2025

    Be Pet Smart!

    While the companionship of pets has been studied in the context of cardiovascular health, their role in protecting brain health is less studied. Join us to investigate how an everyday dog walk may boost brain health through dementia risk-reduction factors including physical activity, well-being, social connection, and cognitive engagement. Co-host Jay Ingram – and author of The Science of Pets – joins psychologist and aging-brain expert Dr. Theone Paterson (University of Victoria) to explore how pets can help you defy dementia, while Dr. Lillian Hung (University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute) discusses innovations in dementia care technology, including robotic pets. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts. Dr. Lillian Hung is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing and Clinician Scientist at Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the founder of the IDEA Lab. She leads a dynamic team of academics and patient and family partners dedicated to advancing dementia and aging research. Through co-designed projects and collaborative research, the IDEA Lab fosters innovation, emphasizing shared benefits and meaningful engagement to improve care and support for those affected by dementia. She focuses on patient-oriented research and innovative care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.  Dr. Theone Paterson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria; an Affiliated Investigator at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Affiliated Researcher at Fraser Health; and a Registered Psychologist with practice in Neuropsychology. She is the Past Chair of the Clinical Neuropsychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association; and is currently a Co-Investigator and Local Site Principal Investigator for the UVic Data Collection Site of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Her research interests include improving understanding of the interplay between cognition and psychosocial functioning and predicting real-world cognitive health outcomes as we age.

    46 min

  4. 10/28/2025

    Healthy Mouth, Healthy Brain

    Everything is connected. Like the connection between oral hygiene and brain health. In this episode of Defy Dementia™, we’ll join Dr. James Noble, Professor of Neurology and author of Navigating Life with Dementia, as he discusses how poor oral health and inflammation could increase dementia risk, and just how important oral care is for brain health. We’ll also follow 65-year-old Ben Schaub, a journalist specializing in science and technology – and a Defy Dementia producer – as he shares how he keeps his brain healthy by taking care of his oral health. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts. Key Messages: Gum infections are common, especially in older adults. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums benefits your overall health and may reduce your dementia risk. Key Actions: Brush and floss daily.If available, visit your dental professional for regular cleaning and check-ups or if you are experiencing issues with your teeth or gums. About our guests: Ben Schaub is an award-winning science journalist and Defy DementiaTM’s writer and chase producer. Ben researched episodes of CBC’s The Nature of Things and produced interviews and documentaries for Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet.  Dr. James Noble is a Professor of Neurology in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He was the first to discover an association between the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivitis and impaired memory, and leads a project exploring the relationship of oral health conditions and cognitive trajectories. He is also the author of Navigating Life with Dementia.

    34 min

  5. 09/29/2025

    Never Quit Quitting – Healing the Smoker’s Brain

    This episode explores how quitting smoking can transform both heart and brain health. Connor Dorr, lived-experience advisor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, shares his journey with nicotine addiction, recovery, and advocacy.  We also hear from Dr. Adrienne Johnson, an expert on smoking and dementia risk, and Dr. Andrew Pipe, a global leader in smoking cessation. Together they discuss the science of addiction, the resilience needed to quit, and the brain’s capacity to heal.  Tune in at defydementia.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

    48 min

  6. 08/26/2025

    Jay & Allison’s Excellent Brain Health Adventure

    Lifestyle risk factors, like poor sleep, social isolation, and a lack of exercise may have a significant impact on dementia risk. The best evidence tells us that if we make healthy changes to key lifestyle risk factors, we could reduce dementia cases worldwide by at least 45 per cent. On this episode, Defy Dementia hosts Jay Ingram and Dr. Allison Sekuler report back on their own brain-healthy resolutions – changes they tried in our own lives – and their learnings, trials, and tribulations. Plus, they share cutting-edge brain health news, some from the recent Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2025, on topics ranging from new drug trials and blood tests for detection, to a major lifestyle study, to the role of lithium in Alzheimer’s disease, to the potential impact of wildfire smoke exposure on dementia risk, to the shingles vaccine, and more. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

    31 min

  7. 07/29/2025

    Coping with Challenging Behaviours

    In 2021, Diana De Faveri’s life turned “upside down, real fast” when her mother was diagnosed with corticobasal syndrome, a rare form of dementia. As a sole caregiver, she took care of her household, her business, her parents, and her parents’ home. She recounts this difficult and stressful time in her life, sharing the lessons she’s learned and her thoughts on why it’s so important to seek help and support. Dr. Nicole Didyk, Clinical Assistant Professor at McMaster University, geriatrician, internist, passionate patient and family education advocate and creator of The Wrinkle — a YouTube channel and website for older adults and their families — shares tips on how to navigate challenging behaviours, in the face of dementia. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

    43 min

  8. 06/25/2025

    Living with Pride in the Face of Dementia

    In this special Pride episode, we learn about the increased risk of dementia facing the 2SLGBTQI communities, and about the tools, techniques, and resources available to mitigate that risk. We follow the story of Susan Gapka, the first openly trans person to receive a key to the City of Toronto in recognition for her work as an advocate, researcher, community organizer, and human rights activist, who also overcame mental health challenges, and alcohol and drug use. And we learn from geriatrician, clinician scientist, and proud 2SLGBTQI community member Dr. Samir Sinha as he shares insights as a dementia advisor and researcher, and elaborates on his work to enhance support for 2SLGBTQI people living with dementia and their care partners. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

    42 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Defy Dementia is an empowering new podcast by Baycrest that is dedicated to helping you reduce your dementia risk. Join us on a captivating exploration of key dementia risk factors as we interview experts, hear inspiring stories from persons with lived experience, and share practical advice to help you optimize your aging journey. Tune in and subscribe at defydementia.ca or anywhere you get your podcasts, and unlock the power to age fearlessly and defy dementia. Each episode will be complemented by a short video, infographic, and related resources to help you take control of your brain health. Defy Dementia is hosted by Jay Ingram (Canadian author and broadcaster) and Dr. Allison Sekuler (President and Chief Scientist, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation). The podcast is generously funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

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