Dementia North - Lakes

16/04/2026

Our latest In Touch newsletter is now available – with stories, updates, and practical information for people living with dementia | mate wareware and their care partners.

In this edition, you’ll find upcoming Dementia Talks, ideas for staying connected at home, and information about support available across our region, including the new Dementia Navigator education resource.

📩 Read it here: https://zcu.nz/PFvm?m=0

If you or your whānau would like support, our Lakes team is here.
🔗 Find local support: https://dementia.nz/dementia-lakes/

In Touch is free to subscribe and shares monthly updates on news, events, and learning opportunities. Sign up here https://zcu.nz/k7Wb

14/04/2026

New Zealand is hosting a live online conversation with Dr Lucy Hone:
How will I ever get through this?

Living with dementia | mate wareware – or supporting someone who is – can feel relentless. The emotional load, the changes, and the uncertainty can be hard to carry.

In this session, Dr Hone shares what can help when things feel overwhelming, drawing on both research and personal experience.

Together, they’ll explore:
✨ The realities of living with dementia and being a care partner
✨ Why grief, love, frustration and hope can sit side by side
✨ Ways to stay connected to yourself and others
✨ What helps people keep going over time
📅 Wednesday, 3 June 2026
⏰ 10am – 11am
💻 Online (recording sent to all who register)

Free for care partners and whānau | $50 for professionals

🎟 Book here: https://dementia.nz/events/how-will-i-ever-get-through-this-finding-meaning-connection-and-strength-while-living-with-dementia/

All registrants go in the draw to win a signed copy of Dr Lucy Hone’s book.

10/04/2026

Today is Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Awareness Day.

PPA is a form of dementia where changes in language are often the first signs - affecting how a person speaks, understands, reads, or writes.

As discussed in this recorded conversation between New Zealand and Aphasia New Zealand Charitable Trust:
💬 “PPA is a language-led dementia, where language symptoms are often the first to appear.” Christa Grbin, Community Aphasia Advisor.

These changes can be subtle at first and are often mistaken for everyday lapses, which can delay recognition and support.

If you work with, or support, people affected by dementia | mate wareware, this conversation provides a clear introduction to PPA and the kinds of changes people may notice.

If you’re supporting someone experiencing changes in communication, our Dementia Advisors teams can provide practical guidance and support.

🎧 Listen to the recording here: https://vimeo.com/1179994641?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

09/04/2026

Today is Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Awareness Day.
PPA is a form of dementia where changes in language are often the first signs - affecting how a person speaks, understands, reads, or writes.

As discussed in this recorded conversation between Dementia New Zealand and Aphasia New Zealand Charitable Trust:
💬 “PPA is a language-led dementia, where language symptoms are often the first to appear.” Christa Grbin, Community Aphasia Advisor.

These changes can be subtle at first and are often mistaken for everyday lapses, which can delay recognition and support.

If you work with, or support, people affected by dementia | mate wareware, this conversation provides a clear introduction to PPA and the kinds of changes people may notice.

If you’re supporting someone experiencing changes in communication, our Dementia Advisors teams can provide practical guidance and support.

🎧 Listen to the recording here:

In collaboration with Winifred Henderson (Senior Educator, Dementia New Zealand) and Christa Grbin (Community Aphasia Advisor, Aphasia New Zealand).

08/04/2026

🧠 Understanding dementia | mate wareware can raise a lot of questions – especially in the early stages.

Dementia Navigator, from New Zealand, is a free online resource with short, easy-to-follow topics covering things like diagnosis, early planning, and changes in behaviour. It’s there to help you understand what’s happening and what to expect.

⏱️ You can dip into the information at your own pace – whether you have ten minutes or more time available – and return to it whenever you need.

It’s designed to sit alongside the support we provide, offering something you can come back to at any time.

👉🏼 Take a look here: https://dementianavigator.nz/

02/04/2026

Wishing all our whānau a joyful Easter and a reminder that while our Dementia North offices will be closed over the Easter weekend, you’re not alone. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. 💚

🕓 Closed from 4pm Thursday, 2 April
📅 Reopening 8:30am Tuesday, 7 April

If you or someone you support needs help during this time, support is still available:
📞 Healthline New Zealand (24/7): 0800 611 116
📱 Call or text 1737 – free support for anxiety, depression, relationships or distress
🔗 Healthify Trusted health info & self-help: https://healthify.nz/
💻 Online GP Care (24/7, costs may apply): https://info.health.nz/online-phone.../online-gp-care
🚨 Emergency: Call 111

26/03/2026

Much was lost with the passing of Robin Williams in 2014. What the world didn’t know was that Robin and his wife, Susan Schneider Williams, were on a quest to find the cause of the changes he was experiencing. The answer came months after his death - Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).

In “SPARK: Robin Williams and His Battle with Lewy Body Dementia,” Susan shares an intimate look into their journey, raising awareness of the disease and reflecting on what could have been different with an early diagnosis. SPARK delves into Lewy Body Dementia, including its biology, clinical symptoms and its impact on both the person living with dementia and their care partners.

🎥 Watch for free on Mediflix: https://www.mediflix.com/channels/lewy-body-dementia-association/video/parkinsons-lbda-spark?collection=228

24/03/2026

Dementia | mate wareware impacts more than memory – it impacts lives. But with the right support, people with dementia, their care partners, and their whānau can still live well. 🧠

Across the Rotorua/Lakes/Turangi regions, whānau turn to Dementia North - Lakes for free resources, education, and local community support services.

Your donation enables us to continue to provide vital services for those with dementia, their carers and their whānau. ❤

Make a donation today: https://dementia.nz/dementia-lakes/

23/03/2026

Driving represents freedom and independence. But dementia | mate wareware can affect things like reaction time, judgment, and navigation - making driving unsafe at some stage.

If you or someone you love is navigating this journey, our Dementia and Driving Toolkit can help you:
🚗 Understand how dementia affects driving
🚗 Plan for when to stop
🚗 Cope with the loss of driving independence

Download your free guide here: https://dementia.nz/resources/information-sheets-2/

22/03/2026

If you, or someone you’re supporting, has been diagnosed with mate wareware | dementia, you’re not alone. 💙

Our Dementia North - Lakes team is here to support you and your whānau with compassionate, local help.

We can assist with:
• Recognising signs of dementia
• Free information and downloadable resources
• 1:1 Dementia Advisor support
• Navigating the health system
• Education and support groups for care partners and whānau

To learn more or to register for our services, visit https://dementia.nz/dementia-lakes/

19/03/2026

'Mate Wareware' is an app co-created through collaboration with kaumātua and whānau to help Māori affected by dementia | mate wareware and to raise awareness of the condition.

Tikanga Māori is central to the app, with an introduction and karakia by kaumātua, and everyone featured in it is Māori.

Topics covered include what mate wareware is and what Māori understandings of it is, the types and causes of it, how to look after whānau who are affected by it and how to identify if someone might be suffering from it.

Learn more at www.matewareware.nz

18/03/2026

Associate Professor Yoram Barak from University of Otago's Department of Psychological Medicine recently presented research on the MIND diet, a powerful way to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

A study funded by the National Institute of Aging in the U.S. found that those who followed the MIND diet rigorously reduced of developing Alzheimer's by up to 53% - and even moderate adherence lowered the risk by 35%!

So, what’s on the menu?

✅Leafy greens, nuts, berries, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, legumes, even one glass of red wine a few times a week 🍷

🚫Avoid fried foods, processed meats, butter, margarine, cheese, and sweets.

💡Want to give your brain the best fuel? Start small - add an extra serving of greens, swap white rice for quinoa, or enjoy a handful of nuts. Your brain will thank you!

Learn more: https://dementia.nz/food-for-thought/