Policy documents

Our recommendation for Budget 2025 – alongside Dementia NZ – includes provision for $127.3 million over three years for Alzheimers and Dementia community-based organisations to support 37,400 families.

The Making the Case highlights the importance of an integrated continuum of care for older people including people living with dementia mate wareware.  This document was developed in collaboration with NZ Council of Christian Social Services to urge Government to take a holistic view of the aged care sector. The Making the case has two inserts containing information to support the case.

In our joint Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health, Hon Dr Shane Reti with Dementia NZ, we have urged Government to reduce the dementia mate wareware challenge through three recommendations.

In our Election briefing 2023, we have urged Government to do these two things urgently actions to stem the worst impacts of the looming health crisis:

1. Implement and fund the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan to reduce the rapidly growing incidence of dementia mate wareware among New Zealanders and provide better support for those diagnosed with the condition.
2. Provide $9 million per year to stabilise community dementia mate wareware support services. Many of these services are on the brink of financial collapse.

Alzheimers NZ and Dementia NZ have worked together, along with people with lived experience, over the past 12 months to develop a comprehensive multi-modal service model to give effect to Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) 2022 and the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan. The model is grounded in core documents including Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022; Improving Dementia Mate Wareware Services in Aotearoa New Zealand Action Plan 2021; the Post-Diagnostic Community Services for People Living with Dementia Mate Wareware in Aotearoa NZ Literature Review 2022; the Dementia Economic Impact Report (DEIR) 2020; the World Alzheimer Report -Life after diagnosis: Navigating treatment, care and support 2022.

Alzheimers NZ’s policy position statements address a range of issues that directly impact people living with dementia mate wareware and their whānau. The statements are responsive to issues that are current at the time of writing and developed for positive change for people living with dementia mate wareware.