Grey Power June 2016
The Grey Power Magazine is a prime national news source for its readers – New Zealand men and women over 50. Circulated quarterly to more than 68,000 members, Grey Power Magazine reports on the policies of the Grey Power Federation, and the concerns of the elderly, backgrounding and interpreting official decisions which affect their lives.
The Grey Power Magazine is a prime national news source for its readers – New Zealand men and women over 50. Circulated quarterly to more than 68,000 members, Grey Power Magazine reports on the policies of the Grey Power Federation, and the concerns of the elderly, backgrounding and interpreting official decisions which affect their lives.
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28<br />
national <strong>Grey</strong>power mAGAZINE » june <strong>2016</strong><br />
Collecting at Countdown to care for carers<br />
Two in three New Zealanders will be<br />
affected by dementia in some way<br />
throughout their lifetime; the impact<br />
of dementia is so much wider than<br />
just those diagnosed.<br />
That’s why this July,<br />
Alzheimers Auckland<br />
will be col-<br />
lecting outside Countdown<br />
branches across<br />
Auckland to raise<br />
money that will help<br />
them to support carers<br />
of people with dementia.<br />
Being a carer for<br />
someone with dementia<br />
can be challenging,<br />
and while the bulk of the<br />
strain lies on those with<br />
a dementia diagnosis,<br />
carers also require support<br />
and assistance from<br />
time to time, to ensure<br />
Kiwis Caring for Kiwis<br />
When support is required to continue living life to the full, Radius Care aims to<br />
make the transition into aged care as smooth as possible.<br />
New Zealand owned and operated, our Kiwi values ensure residents are important<br />
beyond their medical needs. It’s also about providing the best lifestyle possible,<br />
supporting their hobbies and interests, and making our home their home.<br />
Bowling championships, baking, woodwork and outings illustrate the variety of<br />
activities on offer. The seven-day activity rosters mean our residents continue to<br />
enjoy their passions every day, while surrounded by family and friends who can<br />
spend time with loved ones and remain an integral part of each others lives with<br />
24-hour visiting.<br />
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please feel free to pop into<br />
any of our facilities nationwide.<br />
Call 0800 737 2273<br />
or visit www.radiuscare.net.nz<br />
they can maintain their<br />
support without undue<br />
strain and difficulty.<br />
75-year-old Epsom<br />
resident Enyth Good understands<br />
all the challenges<br />
faced by carers,<br />
having taken care of her<br />
husband John for many<br />
years. “For the first three<br />
years I could cope, but<br />
then it got harder and<br />
harder,” says Enyth. “Dementia<br />
was a whole new<br />
world to me. Until somebody<br />
in the family gets<br />
it, you really don’t know<br />
what you’re faced with.”<br />
Enyth, along with<br />
many other generous<br />
volunteers, will be collecting<br />
outside her local<br />
Countdown as part of the<br />
Countdown Annual Alzheimers<br />
Appeal during<br />
the first weekend of July.<br />
Leaders in Care<br />
With only 50 percent of<br />
the services provided by<br />
Alzheimers Auckland<br />
funded by District Health<br />
Boards, the organisation<br />
relies on the support of<br />
volunteers like Enyth to<br />
continue to provide the<br />
best possible services to<br />
those with dementia and<br />
their carers. Alzheimers<br />
Auckland invites people<br />
to join in this hugely important<br />
collection.<br />
Alzheimers Auckland<br />
is looking for volunteers<br />
to collect donations outside<br />
Countdown branches<br />
from 1–3 July. The<br />
money raised goes towards<br />
Alzheimers Auckland’s<br />
comprehensive<br />
range of support services<br />
for more than 1600 people<br />
living with dementia.<br />
These services provide<br />
information, education<br />
and ongoing dementia<br />
support for those living<br />
with dementia and their<br />
carers and communities.<br />
“I am hugely grateful<br />
for Alzheimers Auckland<br />
and the support I<br />
received from a lovely<br />
woman at the organisation<br />
who came and<br />
visited and talked with<br />
me and answered all<br />
my questions. She supported<br />
me by giving me<br />
information and letting<br />
me know what I could<br />
expect. To be fair, at the<br />
time it made it much<br />
worse rather than better!<br />
But I needed to know<br />
what was coming and I<br />
am so thankful for that<br />
now,” says Enyth.<br />
It’s stories like these<br />
that resonate with so<br />
many people – because<br />
this story is everyone’s<br />
story. Currently there<br />
are 15,000 people with<br />
dementia in the greater<br />
Auckland region, a number<br />
that research shows<br />
is expected to double<br />
over the next 15 to 20<br />
years. Because of this,<br />
stories like Enyth’s will<br />
only become more and<br />
more common – and it’s<br />
why services that not<br />
only assist and support<br />
those with a dementia<br />
diagnosis, but also those<br />
caring for them, are so<br />
important.<br />
“I have a passion to<br />
give back now. I knew<br />
nothing about dementia<br />
and thanks to Alzheimers<br />
Auckland, I was given<br />
the opportunity to talk to<br />
somebody and get help,”<br />
shares Enyth.<br />
If you’re interested in<br />
helping support Alzheimers<br />
Auckland (and the<br />
work they do for people<br />
with dementia and their<br />
carers) by volunteering<br />
outside your local Countdown<br />
from 1–3 July,<br />
contact Sarah Knight on<br />
volunteer@alzheimers.<br />
co.nz. Even two hours of<br />
your support would be a<br />
huge help!
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