Brain Health Comes Home to Kelowna: Memory Café on October 18 and Registration Opens for Brain Health Clinics Built on the Geneva Protocol
Medical Arts Health Research Group and Research Finds Cures Foundation launch community brain health programming to close out World Alzheimer's Month
KELOWNA, BC – September 29, 2026: Memory changes, a family history of dementia, or simply wanting to know where you stand: these are the concerns that bring Okanagan families together. This fall, Okanagan residents will have two new ways to act on them.
The Kelowna Memory Café – Sunday, October 18
Dementia is often surrounded by stigma, and too many people living with memory loss, and the families who care for them, end up isolated. The Memory Café exists to change that. It is a warm, welcoming community space where people can connect, enjoy music and conversation, and learn about the current resources and supports available to them.
What families share at the café also matters beyond the room. Their experiences are gathered and, anonymously and with permission, fed back to policymakers so community voices help shape how BC responds to dementia. The Memory Café model has already been tested in the South Okanagan. Over two years, 20 events were held in rural communities, and the results were published in Alzheimer's & Dementia in 2025.
Everyone is welcome: people living with memory loss, care partners, family, friends, and anyone curious about brain health. Attendance is free.
Where: The Laurel Packinghouse, 1304 Ellis Street, Kelowna
When: Sunday, October 18, 1:00-4:00pm
The Brain Health Clinic – Register for the Geneva Protocol
Alongside the café, Medical Arts is opening registration for its Brain Health Clinics. The clinics are based on the Brain Health Service protocol pioneered at the University of Geneva, which is built on four pillars:
• risk profiling
• risk communication
• risk reduction
• cognitive enhancement
Registered participants receive:
• a brain health check-up with a research-level cognitive screen and a validated risk questionnaire
• a personalized brain health profile explained in plain language
• a tailored plan covering exercise, diet, social activity, blood pressure, and cognitive engagement
• regular follow-up visits so they can track their brain health over time and adjust their plan as needed
The clinic is for anyone who has noticed memory changes, has risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history, or simply wants a baseline for peace of mind.
Registration is required. A referral from your family doctor is preferred and is the easiest first step. People without a referral may also register directly online.
From Geneva to the Okanagan
The program follows Medical Arts' participation in the 2nd International Conference on the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (ICOPAD2) in Geneva, Switzerland. The Geneva model is the approach Prof. Giovanni Frisoni and the European Task Force for Brain Health Services have proposed the Geneva approach as the future model for memory clinics.
The science is hopeful. The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia concluded that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay up to 45% of dementia cases.
"For too long, the message around dementia has been 'wait and see.' The science now tells us something different: nearly half of dementia cases may be preventable or delayed. Our Brain Health Clinics give Okanagan families a way to act on that today, not someday. As we bring the Geneva model to the Okanagan, we intend to be part of the solution." – Donna Benson, CEO and Founder, Medical Arts Health Research Group
Running for brain health
These programs also build community momentum for the Research Finds Cures Foundation's Honolulu Marathon Brain Health Campaign. The campaign aims to bring 100+ runners to Honolulu in December and raise $100,000 for Alzheimer's research and community programs in BC.
The Brain Health Clinic provides cognitive screening, risk profiling, and prevention planning. It does not diagnose dementia. Results are shared with your family doctor, with your consent, and any concerns are referred through established medical pathways.
Learn more or register:
Memory Café: Visit https://www.researchfindscures.org/memory-cafes or call (888) 402-3332
Brain Health Clinic: Visit https://www.healthresearch.ca/memory-testing or call (888) 402-3332