Alzheimers New Zealand Awareness Week

Press Release
Embargoed to 9 May 2011

Alzheimers New Zealand Awareness Week

Dementia is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand. Currently 43,000 people are living with dementia; by 2026 this number will have doubled due to New Zealand’s aging population. However it is not these sobering statistics that first come to mind when talking about dementia, but the devastating effects the disease can have on the individual, their family and carers.
So what is the true face of dementia? And how does this disease really impact on our community?

Today, Alzheimers New Zealand launches its annual Awareness week campaign, ‘Faces of Dementia’. Alzheimers New Zealand wants to promote awareness and raise funds to make life better for all people affected by dementia. A major part of this drive is increasing the public’s understanding of the disease so that communities may better comprehend the impact of dementia and how that impact can be minimised. In 2008 report was commissioned by Alzheimers New Zealand to look closely at the social and economic impacts of the disease. The report estimated that at the time more than 40,746 people had the disease. This has risen to over 43,000 in 2011 and will continue to rise by 200% every two decades to over 74,821 in 2026 and 146,699 in 2050.

The true human cost of the disease is closer to 300,000, according to those working in the field, who say it takes up to seven pairs of hands to care for one person with the disease. These carers effectively put their ‘normal’ lives on hold while caring for a person with dementia, often sacrificing careers, social interactions and financial stability in the process. Alzheimers New Zealand was founded to help all people affected by dementia. This year it celebrates 25 years of service.

Since its inception in 1985, Alzheimers New Zealand has grown from a community support organisation, originally formed to service the Canterbury region, to a nationwide organisation with 23 local Alzheimers organisations. Over 15,000 individuals, as well as their families and support networks are supported annually and the organisation has become the ‘go to’ authority for the dementia community. Nationally, this community is supported through leadership, information and advocacy. Locally, the organisation serves its community through in-home care, support groups, information, education, activity and day care programmes and advice.

Over the past 25 years the organisation has grown to meet community demand for services. It has evolved to provide a more holistic approach to its service delivery and has initiated projects like the National Dementia Strategy (a call to action for government to adopt dementia as a national health priority) to help change the landscape of dementia care in New Zealand. One concerning trend is the prevalence of new cases of dementia. With cases set to double every twenty years, the organisation has had to adopt new strategies to boost its capacity to meet this demand. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome to meet this demand is funding.

Local Alzheimers organisations receive some funding from District Health Boards, which provide local contracts for service delivery. Funding is also sourced through contestable grants and sponsorship. However, local Alzheimers organisations are heavily reliant on the generosity of the community. The annual Awareness Week provides a vital link for local Alzheimers organisations and their community by putting the spotlight on their services and giving opportunity for engagement.

The 2011 Awareness Campaign has been designed so that communities can better understand what services are available to people affected by dementia and their families locally and how the support of local Alzheimers organisations can help these people cope with the very changeable, often challenging aspects of dementia.

It is a rolling campaign, launching in eight centres around the country with a series of educational and social events, and a bit of fundraising in-between. Cuppa for a cause events and educational seminars continue throughout the country at all 23 local Alzheimers organisations, until the end of September, when we celebrate World Alzheimers Day and our organisations 25th anniversary.

“We are calling on the communities that we serve to support our local Alzheimers organisations, by either volunteering or giving generously, so that we can continue our good work today and in the future, and deliver our promise to make life better for all people affected by dementia” says Alzheimers New Zealand national director, Johan Vos.

“Our 23 local Alzheimers organisations need urgent support from their communities to sustain their services. Our fear is that people will struggle through their journey with dementia, placing an enormous toll on themselves and their families without the compassion and dignity they deserve.”
To find out what events are planned in your area, or to make a donation, visit: www.alzheimers.org.nz

Dementia is usually diagnosed by a series of symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia (50-70%), can be identified by changes in behaviour, loss of memory and cognitive functions and inconsistent emotions. Dementia is a neurological disease, where vital links in the brain erode and are eventually severed. While progress of the disease can seem slow, deterioration can be rapid and the journey from diagnosis to death can be as little as eight to 15 years. There is no cure.

Recently, people have become more attuned to changes in cognitive behaviour and will seek medical advice over such changes much earlier than in the past. Early diagnosis helps families adjust to the many changes dementia brings and can offer the opportunity for pharmaceutical intervention and changes in lifestyle can delay the progress of the disease.

While dementia is seen as an older person’s disease, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of dementia under the age of 65. These people may have young families, mortgages and careers. Adjusting to living with dementia can mean a complete upheaval to the entire family. Alzheimers New Zealand guides people through their dementia journey and supports the entire community so people may live full, enriched lives, supported appropriately and compassionately.

To donate $20 to Alzheimers New Zealand, please call 0900 4 1234 or make a donation online at: www.alzheimers.org.nz.

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