Dementia North - Lakes

18/06/2026

💙 ""You can actually just decide to do it.""

As National Volunteer Week comes to a close, we'd like to leave you with the words of Frances Blyth, Chair of Dementia New Zealand

Frances has volunteered throughout much of her life, but not because she thought it would build her CV or advance her career.

💬 ""I've never volunteered to improve my CV. I've done it simply because I wanted to.""

She believes one of the biggest barriers is that people think they need the right skills, the right experience, or the perfect opportunity before they can help.

Her advice is much simpler:

💬 ""You can actually just decide to do it.""

Over the past week, we've shared stories of volunteers who walk alongside people living with dementia | mate wareware, help behind the scenes, support our programmes, and provide leadership through governance. Every one of them makes our community stronger.

If you've ever thought about volunteering, perhaps this is your moment.

👉🏼 Read Frances's story and find out more about volunteering: https://dementia.nz/the-choices-we-make/

17/06/2026

🍦 An ice cream van isn't where most people expect to have a conversation about dementia | mate wareware.

But that's exactly what happens for Carol.

When people ask about the name on the side of her trailer – Stone Soup – she tells them the old story of a community where everyone contributes a little. One person brings the pot, another the carrots, another the herbs. Alone, nobody has enough. Together, everyone eats.

For more than 30 years, Carol has lived that philosophy through her volunteer work with our dementia community. Today she's Deputy Chair of New Zealand and one of our hard working board members, but she'll tell you it's never been about titles.

💬 ""Community is only as good as when people all contribute.""

As we celebrate Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu | National Volunteer Week, we're proud to share Carol's story – one that shows how small contributions, added together, can change a community.

👉🏼 Read Carol's story here: https://dementia.nz/stone-soup/

17/06/2026

💙 When people think about volunteers, they often picture someone who's retired or has years of life experience behind them.

Jason is 16.

📚 As part of a community project through Rototuna Senior High School, he chose to volunteer with Dementia North – Waikato. Not because dementia | mate wareware had touched his own whānau, but simply because he wanted to give something back and learn something new.

Behind the scenes, Jason has helped prepare resources for our clinical team and supported events that bring our community together. They're not the jobs that make headlines, but they're the jobs that help everything else happen.

🌟 This National Volunteer Week, we're celebrating people of all ages who choose to share their time, energy and kindness with others.

Jason's story shows that making a difference doesn't begin when you're older. Sometimes it starts with saying ""yes"" to an opportunity.

👉🏼 Read his story here: https://dementia.nz/youre-never-too-young-to-help/

16/06/2026

"🤔 Have you ever thought about volunteering, but never quite got around to it?

Maybe life was busy. Maybe you weren't sure what you could offer. Maybe you thought someone else was better suited.

Mike thought much the same.

After retiring, he remembered the volunteers who had supported his own parents when they needed help. He'd always told himself that, if he ever had the opportunity to give something back, he'd take it.

Now, every Tuesday morning, you'll find him at our Ōrewa Walking Group in Auckland, sharing coffee, conversation and plenty of laughs with people living with dementia | mate wareware, care partners and fellow volunteers.

His advice is refreshingly simple:

💬 ""People are people.""

This National Volunteer Week, we're celebrating people who quietly make our community stronger by showing up. 💚

👉🏼 Read Mike's story and find out more about volunteering: https://dementia.nz/people-are-people/

15/06/2026

This week is Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu | National Volunteer Week, a chance to celebrate the thousands of people across Aotearoa who quietly give their time to help others.

At Dementia North, our volunteers are an important part of our Living Well programmes. They share conversations over a cup of tea, join in activities, encourage laughter, and help create the welcoming spaces that so many people living with dementia | mate wareware and their whānau value each week.

🧡 Throughout the week, we'll be introducing you to some of these incredible people but first, we’d like to say a big ngā mihi | thank you to our 50+ North volunteers – we couldn’t do what we do without you!

Carolyn joined our North – Auckland Mount Albert Young Onset Dementia group thinking she might be able to make a difference to others. What she didn't expect was how much she would gain herself.

💬 "What I really love about the group is just the fun we have. So much fun, honestly. The social connection is just amazing, and it really lights me up to see all the clients interacting and having a great time."

👉🏼 Read Carolyn’s story here: https://dementia.nz/it-really-lights-me-up/

14/06/2026

When Rotorua local Mike was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, he found himself reflecting on memories from earlier in life to help make sense of the changes he was experiencing.

In our latest In Touch, Mike shares his story in his own words, comparing his dementia journey to driving through Waikato fog — learning when to slow down, adapt, and ask for help.

Alongside Mike's story, you'll also find practical tips for care partners, local events, and stories from other families navigating dementia | mate wareware.

If you think someone in your whānau or community would find it helpful, please share it with them.

📖 Read this edition: https://zcu.nz/KO9y?m=0

And if you'd like future editions delivered to your inbox, you can sign up here:

📩 Subscribe: https://dementia.nz/sign-up/

12/06/2026

Sexuality, intimacy and relationships don't stop being important after a dementia | mate wareware diagnosis.

Yet for many whānau, care partners and professionals, these can be some of the most difficult conversations to have.

Join Dementia New Zealand for a Dementia Talk exploring topics including consent, communication, changing behaviours, relationships, identity, and how to support connection while balancing dignity, rights and safety.

Hosted by Winifred Henderson, Senior Educator, with guest speaker Ashley Roberts from Hammond Innovations (Australia).

📅 Friday, 3 July 2026
⏰ 10am – 11:30am
💻 Online via Zoom
🎟 Free for care partners and whānau
🎟 $50+GST for individual professionals

Can't attend live? Register and receive a recording after the event.

👉🏼 Book now:

Part one of a two-part series with Winifred Henderson and Ashley Roberts (Hammond Innovations, Australia), navigating the complexities of sexuality, intimacy and dementia.

10/06/2026

"The mist was often early along, with the fog across the road when we went through dips and gulleys."

One of our Dementia North (Lakes) clients, Mike, has written a deeply personal account of his journey with Alzheimer's disease, drawing on memories of driving through Waikato fog as a young reporter.

For him, the gradual changes brought by dementia | mate wareware feel similar. First the mist. Then the fog. Then learning to slow down, adapt, and accept help when it's needed.

Mike's story is thoughtful and beautifully written. We’re grateful that he's chosen to share it with our community. 🧡

👉🏼 Read Mike's story and hear, in his own words, how he is making sense of life with Alzheimer's disease.

Mike reflects on his journey into Alzheimer's, drawing on a young reporter's memories of driving through Waikato fog — and how the Lakes Social Group helps when the mist comes down.

09/06/2026

Sometimes it's the smallest changes around the home that can make the biggest difference.

Things like reducing clutter, improving lighting, using clear labels, or making key items easier to find can help support someone living with dementia | mate wareware to stay independent and feel more confident in their surroundings.

We've put together some practical tips to help make everyday life a little easier for both the person living with dementia and those supporting them.

🏡 Read more here:

The wonderful thing about a dementia friendly home is that it will support the wellbeing and comfort of all who live in it, enabling the home to run smoothly

07/06/2026

Could technology help someone living with dementia | mate wareware stay connected, maintain routines, or feel more confident day to day?

Join Dementia New Zealand for the next Dementia Talk, where three Aotearoa New Zealand innovators will share practical tools developed to support people living with dementia, care partners and whānau.

You'll hear about:
📱 An app designed to capture memories and life stories
📱 Tools that support routines, wellbeing and family connection
📱 Simple technology designed for people who find standard devices difficult to use.

Whether you're supporting someone living with dementia, exploring options for yourself, or simply curious about what's available, this session offers a practical look at technology being used right here in Aotearoa.

📅 Friday, 26 June 2026
⏰ 10am – 11am
💻 Online via Zoom

Can't attend live? Register anyway and receive the recording afterwards.
🎟 Free for people living with dementia, care partners and whānau.

👉🏼 Register now:

Join Winifred Henderson and guests Alister Robertson (My Life’s Journey), Angela Edwards (Elli Cares) and Julie Caldwell (Kitcal) for a discussion on digital apps that support people with dementia, care partners and whānau.