Age Concern Whanganui

04/10/2026

🔐 It’s Cyber Smart Week — and scams are getting harder to spot.
AI is helping scammers create emails, texts, phone calls and websites that can look remarkably convincing. That makes one simple habit more important than ever: stop, check and question before you trust. 🧐

SENSE Whanganui is supporting Cyber Smart Week 2026, and we’ve brought together some useful information and practical ways to stay safer online on the Digital Inclusion Whanganui website.

There’s also a free online session tomorrow especially relevant for older New Zealanders — “You’ve got mail… But is it real?” — looking at current scams, warning signs and what to do when something doesn’t feel right.

👉 Have a look at our Cyber Smart Week page here:
https://digitalinclusionwhanganui.nz/cyber-smart-week-2026-find-a-scam-before-it-finds-you/

And if you’re at the Living Well, Ageing Well Expo tomorrow at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre, come and say hello. 😊

03/10/2026

Living Well Ageing Well Expo 2026: Tuesday 6 October

Living Well Ageing Well/Te Ara Kite Oranga Expo is at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre on Tuesday 6 October from 10am to 3pm.

The idea for an Expo originally came from U3A Whanganui, who were keen to bring back an event specifically focused on older people in our community, as Whanganui hasn’t had an event like this for several years.

This sparked conversations between local organisations about how they could work together to bring an event like this to life. The planning group includes Whanganui District Council, Te Oranganui, Whanganui Regional Health Network, Age Concern Whanganui, Your Way | Kia Roha, U3A Whanganui and Grey Power Whanganui.

During planning, Grey Power shared that the Minister for Seniors, Hon Casey Costello, would be visiting Whanganui on 6 October for their Grey Power Whanganui meeting. The timing aligned perfectly, and the Living Well, Ageing Well Expo began to take shape.

The Expo has grown into a significant community event, with around 55 organisations, services and community groups involved.

It is a free community event and will give people an opportunity to connect with local services, discover what support and activities are available, and find information that can help them live and age well in Whanganui.

There will be guest speakers throughout the day, with Minister Costello delivering the keynote address from 2pm to 3pm. Other speakers include:
• Tim Crowe – Civil Defence & Emergency Management, 10.15am to 10.45am
• Josie Hartley – Safety in the Home, 11am to 11.30am
• Michaela O’Brien – Enduring Powers of Attorney, 11.45am to 12.15pm
• Dr Jan Gregson: Brain Health, 1pm to 1.30pm

Ngā Tai o Te Awa’s line dancing group and IDEA Services Kapa Haka will be performing around lunchtime.

The organising group is really excited to see the event come together and hopes it will be an enjoyable and informative day for older people, their whānau and the wider community.

“A special thank you goes to all of the exhibitors, including the organisations, services and social groups who will be part of the Expo. Their involvement and support are a huge part of bringing this event to life, and we simply couldn’t do it without them.”

01/10/2026

28/09/2026

Over 65 Hub
This Friday cancelled.

Just a little reminder that the Over 65 Hub will not be running this Friday.
We’ll be back on Friday 6th November and look forward to seeing you then!

☕ Enjoy your week and stay warm!

21/09/2026

Dementia Support Group established

Four women with experience of family members having dementia meet once a month at a member’s house to support each other. Their motto is “Care, Share, and Carry On.’ They want to reach out to others who are in a similar situation and would like to join them.

Three of the four were happy to discuss their situation with the RCP. The fourth was absent that day.

Marlene noticed back in the 1990s her mother was showing signs of confusion and then one day, “She stopped her car in the middle of a roundabout so that she could look for something in the car.” The family contacted the police, and this led to the end of her mother’s driving. “It was difficult for her, but it was the safest thing to do.”

Marlene’s parents lived in Waikanae, where Marlene also lived. In 2009, she was employed as an activities coordinator in a dementia facility and started training for Advanced Age Care, Dementia ad Diversional Therapy, qualifying in 2014.

In 2016, Marlene moved to Whanganui and her parents followed later in the year. But as Marlene says, “It was really too late for mother, and probably compounded her confusion. They lived in a villa at Kōwhainui, but her mother was soon admitted into care, deteriorated quickly and died in 2018. Marlene meanwhile got a job working for Alzheimer’s Whanganui, retiring at the end of 2019, “but kept myself in the loop.”

Janne and Brian have been married for 65 years, but recently she noted that Brian was becoming noticeably forgetful. On a holiday trip, he became quite panicky about whether they were on the right platform or the right train.

Brian joined Alzheimer’s Whanganui programmes for men such as bus trips and ‘Pool & Pint’, at the St Johns Club designed to help men mix and to foster friendships. However, Brian ‘escaped’ a number of times to come home where he felt secure.

Janne points out, “His final escapade was to leave Kowhainui, where he was having respite care. Kowhainui facility is not a secure facility for dementia residents; hence he couldn’t continue to stay.”

His mobility deteriorated, and caregivers came to shower him (he couldn’t control the temperature of the water). Jan could still have two hours per day respite by continuing to teach at a kindergarten, which she loved.

However, one day she had to call St John Ambulance (“the staff were absolutely commendable”). After a stint in hospital, Brian went to Okere House, a completely secure facility where he could be almost normal. She describes the carers there as “absolutely brilliant.”

“I did a course with Alzheimer’s – the best thing I ever did. I learn that there is a lot of letting go that a carer has to do. I also had to experience the loneliness after they go to a home.”

Sally and Les likewise have been married for a long time – 63 years. When Les developed Alzheimer’s, initially, Sally could look after him. “Looking back, there was a lot of not admitting that things were not right. Eventually everything happened in a rush. My biggest fear was what would happen to him if something happened to me.”

After Les went to a home, “the isolation, emptiness hit me. I still reach out to him in bed and talk to him and then realise that he is not there.”

The idea of a Dementia Support Group was initiated by Marlene, who says, “The small group happened like magic, three gatherings later and the group wants it to remain small – maximum of about eight.

Their next meeting is on Thursday, 24 September, 10am. If you want to find out more, contact Marlene on 022 650 2514 or email her at [email protected].

Photo: Janne, Sally and Marlene

09/09/2026

September is World Alzheimer’s Month. You can show support, and maybe spark conversations by wearing the colour purple 💜

If you’ve noticed changes in yourself or someone you care about, you don’t need to work out what’s causing them on your own. Talking to your GP can be a good place to start.

02/09/2026

Scammers are now pretending to be the very organisations we trust.