Alzheimers Northland Manager Trudi Bridges and Alzheimers Whanganui Manager Renee Clark share their insights on dementia support for World Alzheimers Month, hosted by Alzheimers NZ Senior Communications Advisor Amie Hickland.
This is timely before the launch of the World Alzheimer Report 2025 on dementia rehabilitation. While the concept of rehabilitation can have certain connotations, for people with dementia it is about maintaining and often improving both physical and cognitive function to help improve overall quality of life.
We’ve recently announced a new partnership between our Dementia Learning Centre and the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research (CCREATE-AGE) at the University of Auckland to develop the first dementia design training and toolkits for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our friend and partner Co-Director CCREATE-AGE and Joyce Cook Chair Professor Ngaire Kerse, and our very own Dementia Learning Centre’s Director Caroline Bartle share more with our Principal Advisor Services and Standard Lyneta Russell.
Together, we’ll promote excellence in ageing and dementia research and service delivery in an inclusive and practical way – specialising in supporting organisations to meet emerging design principles.
Alister Robertson – who lives with dementia mate wareware – and Rosie Chambers, Manager of Alzheimers South Canterbury, recently joined our Parliamentary Friends of Dementia group to share their lived experience.
From diagnosis to the hard realities facing organisations in terms of funding, here’s what Alister and Rosie shared with MPs at Parliament recently.
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This audio was recorded 9 April 2025.
Chief Executive Catherine Hall interviews 2024 Alzheimers NZ Fellow Dr Campbell Le Heron in our latest podcast about his research and other breakthroughs around the globe.
Campbell’s research has a focus on neurodegenerative diseases with two big pillars – the first being cognitive neuroscience mechanisms (the problems people experience in the setting of things like like Alzheimers).
The second pillar is around clinical trials and trying new treatments for Alzheimers. Campbell also discusses the reality of some of the latest medications available around the world.
Find out more about Campbell’s research in the podcast below.
In this final episode of the series, Dementia Learning Centre Director and Ellen Bragger delve into the transformative potential of digital technology in dementia education.
From virtual reality experiences to gamification and artificial intelligence, they investigate how the Dementia Learning Centre at Alzheimers New Zealand is embracing innovation to enhance learning while maintaining human connection at the heart of care.
Caroline introduces several exciting new initiatives set to launch in 2025 that will revolutionise dementia care training across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Subscribe now for more information on upcoming events at the Dementia Learning Centre.
In this insightful episode, Dementia Learning Centre Director Caroline Bartle discusses her ambitious vision for dementia mate wareware education in Aotearoa New Zealand for 2025.
From innovative training programmes to cutting-edge technology, she outlines how the Centre will support and transform dementia mate wareware care while prioritising people at the core of their work.
This third episode in the series explores how the Dementia Learning Centre will enhance Alzheimers New Zealand’s essential role in supporting people living with dementia and their whānau.
Subscribe now for more information on upcoming events at the Dementia Learning Centre.
In this illuminating discussion, Dementia Learning Centre Director Caroline Bartle shares her insights into delivering impactful dementia education, drawing from her experience running a social enterprise in the UK and her academic research.
She and Ellen Bragger examine how combining emotional engagement with practical experience fosters lasting change in dementia care.
Together, they explore the elements that make training truly effective from storytelling to virtual reality and why the future of learning must extend beyond the classroom into everyday practice. Part two of this series reveals how the Dementia Learning Centre at Alzheimers New Zealand is reimagining education for real-world impact.
Subscribe now for more information on upcoming events at the Dementia Learning Centre.
In this initial episode of a four-part series, Dementia Learning Centre Director Caroline Bartle joins Ellen Bragger to discuss the challenges facing dementia mate wareware education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
They address the complexities of delivering effective training across diverse healthcare settings, the impact of high staff turnover, and the necessity for standardised approaches.
This thought-provoking conversation sets the foundation for future episodes by highlighting the importance of evolving traditional training methods to better serve individuals living with dementia mate wareware, their whānau, and healthcare professionals.
Subscribe now for more information on upcoming events at the Dementia Learning Centre.
It seems there’s news about breakthroughs for dementia mate wareware every week!
Professor Lynette Tippett and Dr Etu Ma’u – of the University of Auckland – join Chief Executive Catherine Hall to kōrero (talk) about what’s new.
Lynette is Director of the Dementia Prevention Research Clinics where they are researchingfactors and biomarkers that influence progression of memory difficulties and that promote brain health in New Zealanders, and Etu is also a consultant old age psychiatrist with Health NZ Waikato.
The first part of this podcast covers some of the latest news about diagnosis, biomarkers and testing. The second part explores risk reduction.
Resources
This podcast was recorded on 29 November 2024.
Local Alzheimers and Dementia organisations provide vital support to people and their whānau living with dementia mate wareware.
Alzheimers NZ Principal Advisor Services and Standards Lyneta Russell is joined by Managers Heather Lackner (Nelson/Tasman) and Helen Frank (Taranaki) for an insight into what’s happening at the coalface of local services. They discuss the ins and outs of the services they provide and the impact they make in their local communities.
If you or anybody you know needs more support, reach out to your local Alzheimers or Dementia service around the country.
Alzheimers Disease International (ADI) Deputy CEO and Director of Policy, Communications and Publications Chris Lynch joins Alzheimers New Zealand Chief Executive Catherine Hall to talk about tackling stigma this World Alzheimers Month.
ADI will release the 2024 World Alzheimer Report on stigma on the eve of World Alzheimers Day, following a worldwide survey into global attitudes to dementia mate wareware. This report is an update of the 2019 version to see how attitudes have changed five years on.
Chris gives us a sneak peek into the headlines and delves into why it’s so important to tackle the stigma around dementia mate wareware.
This podcast was recorded on 3 September 2024.
Australian aged-care specialist and educator Rose Capp joins Principal Advisor Services and Standards Lyneta Russell to bust some of the myths around dementia mate wareware.
Rose has recently released her new book which explores some of the common myths around dementia mate wareware. She teaches in ageing studies and dementia mate wareware care at Flinders University and is a policy advisor for Dementia Australia.
You can find out more about how to reduce your risk of dementia mate wareware or the Awareness and understanding of dementia in New Zealand (2017) survey on the Alzheimers NZ website.
Dr Kathy Peri reflects on her time at Alzheimers NZ as Director of the Dementia Learning Centre – from its inception four years ago to how it’s grown today.
The Dementia Learning Centre is our hub of excellence for dementia mate wareware education. The kaupapa of the centre is based around people, and the right we all have to feel supported, valued and loved.
Follow Kathy’s journey getting the centre established and her hopes for the dementia mate wareware education sector in years to come. Thank you for your amazing work, Kathy!
Find out more about the Dementia Learning Centre on the Alzheimers NZ website, or see:
The link between hearing loss and dementia mate wareware is significant. Audika’s Ben de Farias joins our podcast to delve deeper into why looking after your hearing is another important piece of the puzzle for ageing well.
Audika is the only hearing provider in Aotearoa New Zealand which is currently Dementia Friendly Accredited – well done! We also explore what this means for people in real life.
You can find out more about the Dementia Friendly Recognition Programme on the Alzheimers NZ website.
Dementia Mate Wareware Leadership and Advisory Group Co-Chairs Dr Makarena Dudley and Teresa Wall join Alzheimers NZ Chief Executive Catherine Hall to discuss the group’s important role in the Dementia Mate Wareware Governance Ecosystem.
The group was established in 2022 to provide strategic advice to guide government on how Aotearoa New Zealand should move forward to achieve the vision of the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan.
Are you keen to be involved in this important kaupapa? Join the Dementia Mate Wareware Network today.
This podcast was recorded on 6 March 2024.
A new initiative to support Chinese New Zealanders living with dementia mate wareware and their care partners by raising awareness and providing education specific to the community is now up and running.
The University of Auckland’s Associate Professor Gary Cheung shares more about his latest project in collaboration with Dementia Auckland and others – Caring for People with Dementia Together – to improve services for Chinese New Zealanders.
You can find out more in The Understanding and Experiences of Living with Dementia in Chinese New Zealanders research paper.
There are 12 proven lifestyle factors that, if modified, can reduce the risk of a person developing dementia mate wareware.
University of Auckland’s Dr Etu Ma’u and Professor Lynette Tippett share more about risk reduction, following the release of the World Alzheimer Report 2023 in September.
Continence can be one of those subjects no one wants to talk about, and there are many reasons why someone with dementia mate wareware can become incontinent.
Principal Advisor Services and Standards Lyneta Russell is joined by Dr Anna Lawrence and Liz Childs, of Continence NZ, in our latest podcast. They discuss different strategies which can be put in place to support people living with incontinence and where to go for help.
Let’s chat about... is our podcast series which gives experts working in dementia mate wareware across Aotearoa New Zealand an opportunity to chat about a topic and share some of the evidence available.
We’re joined by Summerset’s Programme Lead – Therapeutic Recreation Orquidea Tamoyo Mortera in this episode, to chat about how engaging people in recreation and doing activities, can create a sense of belonging in a place like residential care that often does not always feel like home.
Dementia Friendly Advisor Dr Meg Spriggs is joined by of the University of Auckland’s Dr Brigid Ryan to learn more about Young Onset Dementia, as we mark World Alzheimers Month 2023.
