Speakers

Leon Flicker

Place of Birth : Australia
Position : Professor at University of Western Australia, Executive Director of the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing
Field of study : Gerontology, Geriatric Medicine, Frailty, Ageing, Dementia

Leon originally completed medicine at the University of NSW in 1980. After his clinical training, he completed doctoral studies at the University of Melbourne in the areas of bone metabolism and osteoporosis. In 1988 with his University of Melbourne colleague, David Ames, he co-founded the first Memory Clinic in Victoria. In 1997, he had a sabbatical leave at Oxford University, helped develop the processes for the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group, and was an Editor for the group from 1998 to 2023. During 1998, he developed an interest in the health needs of older Aboriginal people, an interest that has continued to this day. In October 1998, he took up his position as the inaugural Chair of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Western Australia based at Royal Perth Hospital. Leon’s research activities have focused on the major health issues of older people, including falls, depression, and cognitive impairment. He has also performed and reported many studies about frailty and successful ageing. To date, Leon has published 16 book chapters and over 510 peer-reviewed articles. He has served on numerous government committees and professional organizations. He was president of the Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine from 2003 to 2005 and served on the Board of the Australian Association of Gerontology, of which he is a life member. He has been Chair of the Asia Pacific Geriatric Medicine Network since 2005. In 2017, he was honored with an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to geriatric medicine and dementia prevention and care.