The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing - TILDA

17/11/2025

🎧 Listen back 🎧

Following strong media interest in our newly published BMJ Open paper, “How prevalent are modifiable dementia risk factors in Ireland? A 12-year observational study in community-dwelling older adults,” Prof. Rose Anne Kenny spoke with Ciara Kelly on Newstalk Breakfast last week about the findings and their implications for dementia prevention in Ireland.

🎧 Listen back to the Newstalk Breakfast interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UrkykO6HcvAUOGkpQG3nN?si=ia7r0w4iR5u6oV5oq09JKw

This study shows that dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing. Using 12 years of TILDA data, the research team found:
• 70% of adults aged 50+ have at least four modifiable dementia risk factors
• Addressing these risks could significantly reduce or delay dementia onset
• More than 100,000 cases could be prevented over the next decade with targeted interventions

Importantly, this work was led by Clinical Research Fellow and PhD student Dr Caoimhe McGarvey, alongside co-authors Prof. Rose Anne Kenny, Prof Sean Kennelly, Dr Donal Sexton and senior author, Dr Robert Briggs

We are grateful to the entire TILDA team for their rigorous work and look forward to sharing more outcomes from Caoimhe’s ongoing PhD research in the months ahead 👏 👏 👏

Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health
Health Research Board
The Atlantic Philanthropies
Trinity College Dublin Global
St James's Hospital Dublin

Newstalk Breakfast · Episode

13/11/2025

We are delighted to see new TILDA research featured in today’s The Irish Times, highlighting new findings that show how tackling key, treatable risk factors could prevent over 100,000 cases of dementia in Ireland. 🧠

Published in BMJ Open, the study, "How prevalent are modifiable dementia risk factors in Ireland? A 12-year observational study in community-dwelling older adults", led by Dr Caoimhe McGarvey, Clinical Research Fellow at TILDA and Specialist Registrar in Geriatric Medicine at St. James's Hospital, found that:
🔹 Over 70% of adults aged 50 and older in Ireland have at least four modifiable risk factors for dementia.
🔹 Many of these risks — including hearing loss, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, and high cholesterol — are treatable and preventable.
🔹 Early identification and intervention could significantly delay or even prevent dementia onset.

This research underscores a powerful opportunity to act on brain health, supporting healthier, longer lives for older adults in Ireland.

📖 Read the coverage in The Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/11/13/tackling-issues-such-as-hearing-loss-and-obesity-could-prevent-100000-dementia-cases-here/

📚 Read the full study in BMJ Open: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/11/e106032

hashtag

Researchers identified that over 70% of adults aged 50 or older in Ireland have at least four treatable risk factors

29/10/2025

In a new article, Dr Irene Mosca explores how Ireland’s migration story has evolved, the policies that shaped its global connections, and the new challenges ahead — from housing pressures to youth emigration and integration.

The piece also draws on findings from TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing), showing that returning Irish migrants are more likely to experience social isolation than those who never left.

📖 Read “Beyond the ‘Global Irish’: what are the migration challenges facing Ireland?”

Ireland has turned its experience of large-scale emigration into an asset by actively engaging its diaspora and maintaining strong connections around the world. But with immigration into Ireland at record levels, policy-makers face new challenges.

24/10/2025

🎧 Missed it live? Catch TILDA's Principal Investigator, Prof Rose Anne Kenny speaking with Claire Byrne on about ageing, health, and living well for longer.
An inspiring discussion grounded in evidence from TILDA and more — listen back here 👉 https://bit.ly/4o7hs4H

Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Head of the Ageing Research Programme, Trinity College Dublin

30/09/2025

What a night at European Researchers’ Night 2025 in Trinity!

The TILDA team set up an interactive exhibit in Front Square from 2–8pm where people could:
• Try grip strength tests using newly updated reference values (20+ years)
TILDA

• Take on a balance challenge (single leg stand) — and yes, one of our team held it for 15 minutes!
TILDA

• Play a fun, science-grounded card game — The Lifestyle & Ageing Game — created by Brenda, which lets you see how lifestyle choices can affect your “biological age.”
TILDA

Huge thanks to all our amazing volunteers who helped make the evening run smoothly.

If you missed us this year — don’t worry, we’ll be back and doing even more next time!
https://bit.ly/4nEwvCk

09/09/2025

Today we are launching the TILDA Wave 6 Report: Shaping the Future: Longitudinal Trends and Opportunities for Transformation in Health and Social Care in Ireland!

Discover insights from over 14 years of longitudinal research on ageing in Ireland.

Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3V7rMNa

21/07/2025

Our Principal Investigator, Prof. , was quoted in The Irish Times after speaking at the MacGill Summer School last week. In her remarks, she highlighted the profound impact that early life circumstances can have on the ageing process, stating, “Children experiencing depression, homelessness, & uncertainty age faster.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/07/17/better-off-children-sailing-away-from-the-have-nots-warns-ombudsman/

TILDA’s ongoing research, as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Ageing and the Life Course, is instrumental in advancing global health policy on ageing and the life course for people of all ages. Through our extensive data, we provide evidence that helps shape policies aimed at improving health outcomes across the lifespan.

Government unable to inform Ombudsman how much it spends on children, says Dr Niall Muldoon

17/06/2025

Can we really reduce our biological age?

Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Principal Investigator of TILDA, joined Newstalk’s The Hard Shoulder to explore the science of biohacking and biological ageing.

She explains what influences our biological age—and whether we can really slow it down.

🎧 Listen back: https://bit.ly/3G6ZmPc





Trinity College Dublin

13/06/2025

It is .

Family carers are central to care in Ireland, often giving their time and energy with little recognition.

Research from TILDA examines how middle-aged and older carers maintain wellbeing and resilience over time. These insights are informing national policy and international studies.

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4mZupxd

29/05/2025

We are proud to see TILDA referenced in the Department of Health’s new publication: Path to Universal Healthcare – Salintecare and Programme for Government 2025+.

This strategic document recognises the role of population-based evidence, including TILDA data, in shaping Ireland’s future health and social care policies.

We remain committed to supporting evidence-informed decision-making to ensure people in Ireland can age with dignity, health and confidence.

📖 Read more: https://bit.ly/43GdpmQ

26/05/2025

We are excited to share that Dr Ann Monaghan, Project Manager for TILDA, received the Dean’s Award for Exemplary Performance last Thursday!

Ann’s exceptional leadership and dedication have been crucial in developing innovative data collection methods at TILDA and a continuous education programme that has been replicated by other longitudinal studies around the world.

Her positive influence extends beyond her professional achievements, with Ann also fostering a great in-house team spirit through inclusive activities and events.

This richly-deserved recognition highlights her outstanding contributions to TILDA, the field of medical gerontology and the wider faculty community.

Congratulations Ann on this significant achievement! 🙌



Trinity College Dublin

13/05/2025

Congratulations Oscar!
Huge congratulations to Oscar Despard and the Christ’s College Cambridge team on their thrilling University Challenge victory!

Oscar, who captained the team, led a dramatic comeback — trailing behind for most of the quiz, they took the lead in the final minutes to win 175–170 over Warwick.

We’ve followed Oscar’s journey since 2020, when he used TILDA data to win a BT Young Scientist award for his project exploring the link between LDL cholesterol and atrial fibrillation in older adults.

From early research success to quiz show champion — we’re so proud to have been part of his story.

Read more about Oscar’s award-winning TILDA project here:
https://tilda.tcd.ie/news-events/2020/2001-young-scientist-seminar/