Demonstrating our shared commitment to change
Alzheimers NZ Chief Executive Catherine Hall reflects on what a tough year it's been as the holiday season approaches
It’s hard to believe it’s Christmas time already!
We know the summer holidays are a time of celebration for many, but can also be an increased source of stress for people living with dementia mate wareware and their whānau. If you need some support to help make this time more enjoyable, we have some tips for peopole and their whānau living with dementia mate wareware on our website.
Well, what else can I say? It’s been a tough year! There’s been a lot of eyes on government (both local and national), a much-needed decrease in inflation for many struggling households and, of course, the historic hīkoi to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill. There have also been significant changes to public services and community providers, and the people we exist for, have been wearing a lot of those impacts.
It’s been a busy year for the dementia mate wareware sector, too, as we’ve worked hard to get the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan and our Business Case for fair funding of local community based dementia services incorporated into Aged Care Funding and Service Models Review by Health NZ and the Inquiry into Aged Care by the Health Select Committee.
We’ve been meeting regularly with Associate Minister of Health Hon Casey Costello, health spokespeople and MPs.
While I can’t say the first year of Government has brought about the changes we hoped for at this time last year, dementia mate wareware and the impact of the ageing population have been getting some traction in the media – despite multiple media outlets making cuts to their teams.
The Aotearoa New Zealand premiere of Human Forever got some significant media coverage, alongside season two of The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes. Young Onset Dementia was pushed into the spotlight as a result.
On the Alzheimers NZ front, we were delighted to wrap-up our series of Repositioning Dementia events and refresh our Strategy during the year – our Strategy work is almost complete and we plan to share our new Strategy next year.
At the heart of this, New Zealanders living with dementia mate wareware and their care partners and whānau are the reason we are all here.
Coming together as a community is all part of us supporting each other and those we care about, demonstrating and reinforcing our shared commitment, and using our collective voice to speak up and advocate for people living with dementia mate wareware – something that’s critically important and getting more so as services keep gettinn harder to get and our community continues to grow.
We’ve still got a lot to do. People are still living in poverty and material depravation increasing the risk of dementia mate wareware. It’s still hard to get a diagnosis and about 30,000 people are still not getting community-based support they deserve. Care partners are still struggling to get the support – and especially the respite – they need. And the health sector are still continue not to take community-based services seriously. But we’re looking forward to what the new year may bring and while we’re expecting another tough year, we’ll keep fighting the good fight.
From everybody at Alzheimers NZ, thank you for your ongoing support. Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete me te Tau Hou, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.