Dementia Canterbury supporting a growing number of New Zealanders to live well with dementia

Close to 70,000 New Zealanders are affected by dementia – the term for a number of brain conditions where symptoms affect memory and other brain functions. This figure is expected to increase to 170,000 by the year 2050.

Dementia Canterbury is a local organisation meeting an increasing need for support. It is helping people with dementia continue to live full and meaningful lives in their communities. It also offers a critical support network to whānau and caregivers whose loved ones have been diagnosed.

"For people diagnosed with dementia, one of the things that frequently happens is that they become isolated very quickly, and the best thing for anybody who's living with dementia is to stay socially connected and socially stimulated," says Dementia Canterbury CEO Darral Campbell.

The organisation works collaboratively with communities to deliver programmes for people in normalised environments such as libraries, museums and pools - ensuring the 700 new referrals they receive each year remain connected to their communities and their everyday lives, which is what their clients have said they want.

"They wanted purpose, they wanted to feel useful, and they wanted to be in the communities that they come from and not necessarily identifiable as people with dementia, simply people going about their business as usual," says Darral.

Dementia Canterbury's programmes include education services, cognitive stimulation, activity respite and carer/whānau support. With funding support from Rātā Foundation, they deliver 35 groups per month.

Carol, a carer whose husband was diagnosed at age 65, says one of the best things that happened on their journey was when someone recommended they connect with Dementia Canterbury. Her advice to anyone supporting a loved one with dementia is "don’t try and do it on your own.”

"Get advice, help, someone to talk to as soon as possible so that you don’t feel like it’s just that uphill, angry battle,” says Carol.

Dementia Canterbury’s services also include a specific programme for the 130 clients suffering from Younger Onset Dementia and a monthly Te Rōpū Manaaki group for Māori. They have a kaumātua available to offer cultural advice and support.

"One of the sayings we have here at Dementia Canterbury is, if you’ve met one person with dementia, you’ve met one person with dementia,” adds Darral.

"Everybody’s different, and we have this thing called person-centred care, and that’s very much around finding out about the person and making the service fit the person’s needs.”

For more information about Dementia Canterbury and the range of education and support services they offer individuals and whānau, visit their website here.