First dementia friendly library in Picton

Most people diagnosed with dementia live at home in their local community for most of their time with the condition.

That’s why it’s so important that we do all we can to make New Zealand a more dementia friendly society, one that’s more accepting and understanding of people living with dementia.

It is very pleasing to see the Picton Library and Service Centre Waitohi Whare Mātauranga commit so positively and so strongly to that cause.

Libraries and service centres are important community facilities. By working to become dementia friendly you are helping to make the dementia journey a little easier, more inclusive and supported for people living with dementia in your community.

The librarian/customer service supervisor at Picton Library and Service Centre Waitohi Whare Mātauranga, Elisabeth Marrow, said they engaged in the Dementia Friendly Recognition Programme, facilitated by an Alzheimers Marlborough staff member, to ensure they could better meet the needs of their community members who live with dementia.

“We know that more and more people in our community are being diagnosed with dementia and, as the community heart, we need to reflect those needs.

“By working to be dementia friendly we are helping to create more user-friendly facilities for this very important group of people.”

Picton Library and Service Centre Waitohi Whare Mātauranga is the first library in New Zealand to be formally recognised by Alzheimers NZ as Working to be Dementia Friendly.

We sincerely hope their leadership in this space will motivate your colleagues in libraries across the country to get on board with the dementia friendly conversation too.