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Show your support for World Alzheimers Month 2023

Wednesday 16 August, 2023
Show your support for World Alzheimers Month 2023 Post Cover Image

September is World Alzheimers Month and your chance to show your support for people and their whānau living with dementia mate wareware in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The theme for 2023 is ‘never too early, never too late’ to emphasise what we can do as individuals to reduce our risk.

Dementia mate wareware is one of our country’s biggest health care challenges. It will only get bigger as our population continues to age fast, with more than a quarter of people projected to be older than 65 in the coming years.

Alzheimers NZ Chief Executive Catherine Hall says while there is no cure for Alzheimers and dementia mate wareware yet, there are simple actions you can take to help reduce your risk.

“This includes keeping active, checking your hearing, staying connected, avoiding knocks to the head, doing activities you enjoy, eating well and looking after your heart. Remember, what’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” she says.

“I encourage you to get involved with World Alzheimers Month however you can – from joining our events, learning more about what you can do to reduce your risk of dementia mate wareware or simply checking in on those who are affected.”

Get involved

There are lots of different ways to show support for World Alzheimers Month 2023.

Our flagship event Repositioning Dementia: Let’s get real will be in Christchurch and online on Thursday 21 September (World Alzheimers Day). More details are online and you’re invited.

This event will include a political panel which will be one of the last chances to ask politicians any questions before the 2023 General Election.

We’ll also release the World Alzheimers Report 2023 focused on risk reduction in Aotearoa New Zealand on behalf of Alzheimers Disease International, and announce our new Alzheimers NZ Fellow.

We’ll be running a radio campaign to encourage people to reach out for help, and a social media campaign highlighting the ways we can all help reduce our risk of dementia mate weareware – please comment, like and share!

We’ll release a new podcast and highlight the resources we already have available online.

We know September also marks Te Wiki o te reo Māori and to celebrate this, we’re encouraging everybody to use these hashtags on social media:

  • #KauaepōhēhēheTōmuaRawa (#NeverTooEarly)
  • #KauaepōhēhēheTōmuriRawa (#NeverTooLate)
  • #WhakahekeateMōreaInāianei (#ReduceRiskNow)

You could take 20 minutes out of your day to become a Dementia Friend. And we have some exciting news to share through the media… so watch this space!

And, of course, you can help fundraise for this important cause through Move for Dementia.

We do hope you’ll get involved this World Alzheimers Month 2023 in any way you can.

If you need more information and support, reach out to your local Alzheimers or dementia organisation or see www.alzheimers.org.nz.

Local events

Check out what some of our local Alzheimers services and other community organisations have planned for World Alzheimers Month: