A motor drive apparatus includes: a motor current detection unit; a brake release determination unit that determines that the brake is not released when the motor current detected when the motor is operated under a predetermined load by application of a voltage to a brake coil is larger than a current for when the brake is normally released; a brake coil voltage change unit that changes a voltage applied to the brake coil when it is determined that the brake is not released to a larger value; a change history storage unit that stores the voltage after being changed and change date and time; and a life prediction unit that calculates a predicted life of the brake apparatus based on the voltage after being changed and the change date and time and the previously stored failure-time brake coil voltage.