NSW senior honour awarded to Prof Henry Brodaty

Jewish dementia researcher Professor Henry Brodaty said he is “extremely honoured” to have been named the 2026 NSW Senior Australian of the Year.

One of Australia’s most respected clinicians and researchers in dementia care, he will now represent NSW as a finalist for Senior Australian of the Year in Canberra on January 25, 2026.

In 1972, Prof Brodaty’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at just 52 years old. At that time, dementia was poorly understood and often ignored. His father’s experience inspired a lifetime of work that revolutionised the field of psychiatry and the lives of people living with dementia and their families.

“Over more than four decades we’ve moved from hopelessness to hope, from stigma to science, in the way we understand and respond to dementia,” he said.

“I’m proud to have played a part in this transformation, alongside so many dedicated colleagues, carers and people living with dementia who continue to inspire and drive our progress.”