Dementia Canterbury

30/09/2025

Join us tomorrow for Legal Matters with Fleur McDonald:

- Legal Matters
- Wed 1 October
- 1:30-3pm
- Braintree, 70 Langdons Road.

Fleur McDonald, Director and Solicitor of Fleur McDonald Legal will talk about how legal matters affect family and friends of people with dementia-mate wareware. She will cover the roles and responsibilities of Enduring Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Wills, and Residential Care Subsidies. There will be time at the end for questions.

Registration is necessary to attend as space is limited – https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/specialist-dementia-education-seminar-legal-matters-tickets-1364950737399?aff=oddtdtcreator

The seminar is also available via Zoom. See our events page for details: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/event/legal-matters-3/

27/09/2025

Our Annual Appeal is taking place on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 November and we'd love your support.

Help run a collection site, or volunteer for just a few hours. Please see our website or sign up here: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/get-involved/annual-appeal-2025/

The appeal helps local people living with dementia-mate wareware and their whānau access free, life-changing services through Dementia Canterbury.

26/09/2025

Sign up to our newsletter and be into win a copy of "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺: 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩, 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩" by Emma Heming Willis. The book is centered on the experience of the carer and Emma's own experience following Bruce Willis' dementia diagnosis.

Sign up here: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/email-updates.

Entries close 5pm, Sunday 5th October.

26/09/2025

Dementia Canterbury was privileged to attend the launch of the updated Mate wareware action plan in Auckland recently. The action plan partners are Dementia NZ, Alzheimers NZ, The NZ Dementia Foundation and the Mate Wareware Advisary Rōpū.

We were particularly privileged to see Marge McNeill (our Kaihaumanu in the Mate wareware pilot, and member of the Rōpū) hand over the updated plan to Associate Minster of Health, Casey Costello.

Read more here: https://alzheimers.org.nz/news/three-new-zealanders-develop-dementia-every-hour/

See the plan here: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/2026-2031actionplan/

24/09/2025

Join us next week for the next Specialist Dementia Education Series (SDES) event:

- Legal Matters
- Wed 1 October
- 1:30-3pm
- Braintree, 70 Langdons Road.

Fleur McDonald, Director and Solicitor of Fleur McDonald Legal will talk about how legal matters affect family and friends of people with dementia-mate wareware. She will cover the roles and responsibilities of Enduring Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Wills, and Residential Care Subsidies. There will be time at the end for questions.

Registration is necessary to attend as space is limited – https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/specialist-dementia-education-seminar-legal-matters-tickets-1364950737399?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/event/legal-matters-3/

21/09/2025

“I am immensely grateful to Dementia Canterbury for facilitating and supporting the Life Stories programme. The book will be a very precious gift to our family.”

This reflection comes from a recent Life Stories Group presentation. Over six weeks, participants record their life memories and experiences into a book. Each person’s story is shared with family and friends in a special presentation - a meaningful way to celebrate and preserve a life story for generations.

20/09/2025

🌍 Today is World Alzheimer’s Day!

First marked in 1994 by Alzheimer’s Disease International and the World Health Organisation, this day shines a light on one of the greatest global health challenges of our time.

🧠 Every 3 seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. Here in New Zealand, it touches the lives of around 80% of us in some way.

💜 Today, we unite to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and support people living with dementia and their families.

If you wish to contribute to the work Dementia Canterbury do, you can donate here: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/get-involved/donations/

19/09/2025

✊💜 Today is Women’s Day of Action

Across the country people are gathering for powerful moments of solidarity.

132 years and one day after women won the right to vote in Aotearoa, the Women's Day of Action is saying:

⚖️ Pay equity is not optional
🌏 Without women’s work, the world stops turning
🗳 Honouring suffrage means demanding justice.

Click here to find an event near you:

Join us in building a better world

19/09/2025

“Caregiving is complicated, heartbreaking, and transformative.” – Emma Heming Willis

When Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, Emma Heming Willis left the doctor’s office with nothing but a pamphlet - and an overwhelming sense of fear and uncertainty.

Now, Emma joins Oprah Winfrey on The Oprah Podcast to talk about her new book 'The Unexpected Journey: Finding Hope and Purpose on the Caregiving Path'. It’s the book she says she wishes she had at the start of her family’s journey. This conversation is filled with honesty, hope, and strength for anyone touched by dementia or caregiving.

💻 Watch the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMdp8Hh5Bks

18/09/2025

Sign up to our newsletter and be into win a copy of "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺: 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩, 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩" by Emma Heming Willis. The book is centered on the experience of the carer and Emma's own experience following Bruce Willis' dementia diagnosis.

Sign up here to win: https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/email-updates/

Entries close 5pm, Sunday 5th October.

17/09/2025

Mark your diaries now for the next Specialist Dementia Education Series (SDES) event:

- Legal Matters
- Wed 1 October
- 1:30-3pm
- Braintree, 70 Langdons Road.

Fleur McDonald, Director and Solicitor of Fleur McDonald Legal will talk about how legal matters affect family and friends of people with dementia-mate wareware. She will cover the roles and responsibilities of Enduring Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Wills, and Residential Care Subsidies. There will be time at the end for questions.

Registration is necessary to attend as space is limited – https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/specialist-dementia-education-seminar-legal-matters-tickets-1364950737399?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://dementiacanterbury.org.nz/event/legal-matters-3/