WHAT SERVICES DOES DEMENTIA WELLINGTON OFFER?

Dementia Wellington is the only charity in Wellington providing dementia-specific services to local families. Through tailored advice, support, information and education, the team at Dementia Wellington offer free services to anyone diagnosed with dementia and their families, at every stage of the disease. We work across Kapiti, Porirua, Wellington and the Hutt Valley to help people with dementia to remain active and engaged in their community.  

A dementia diagnosis can feel completely overwhelming; however, Dementia Wellington is here to help navigate this new experience in the way that works best for you.  We hope that walking the journey with Dementia Wellington will help you and your whānau to continue to get the most out of life - staying active and engaged in your community and feeling supported and informed throughout the stages of dementia.

Check out our Support and Resources 2022 booklet to get an up-to-date overview of what we are doing this year. 

One-on-one expert advice

Our team of professional Dementia Advisors provide invidualised information and advice to families affected by dementia, through one-on-one consultations and ongoing support.  Dementia Advisors are qualified to complete Total Mobility Scheme assessments and also liaise with other health providers and agencies to ensure our clients are receiving all the appropriate services and support they need to live well with their dementia.

See the Dementia Advisors contact details. 

Living Well With Dementia Programme

This exciting initiative is about finding ways for people with dementia to keep doing the activities they’ve always enjoyed. Living Well With Dementia is a personalised socialisation programme that enables people diagnosed with dementia to remain connected and engaged in their community. A tailored plan is developed with each client to identify the activities they enjoy and any support needed to continue to do the things they have always enjoyed doing

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, a validated therapy that is designed to maximise brain functioning, is a component of our Living Well programme.

Part of this programme includes working with local organisations, councils, community groups and businesses to foster understanding and encourage dementia-friendly environments.

Education Programme

We offer a comprehensive education programme for people with dementia, those supporting a person with dementia, health professionals, and the general public. Find out more about the courses we have available on our News And Resources page.

Supporter Meetings

Dementia Advisors facilitate regular supporter groups for people caring for a family member with dementia. These meetings offer a forum to gain support from others in a similar situation, and share information and ideas. Find out where and when our supporter meetings are held on our News And Resources page.

Information and advice

The Dementia Wellington team provides advocacy, advice and support to anyone with questions about dementia, including brain health and all aspects of living with dementia. You can find a list of resources and helpful information on our News And Resources page

MEET THE TEAM

We have a team of nine staff working across the Wellington region. Sheena, Debbie, Tina, and Jackie are our Dementia Advisors. Our Educator is Sarah and in the office we have our Chief Executive Anne and our office administrator Kristen.  See the Dementia Advisors contact details. 

HOW WE ARE FUNDED

Dementia Wellington receives approximately 44% of our total income from our local District Health Board contracts, the remainder we must fundraise through grant applications, donations and fundraising. To find out how to support Dementia Wellington, click here.

GOVERNANCE

Our experienced Executive Committee provide a governance function developing the strategic direction and overarching policies and procedures. They also employ the Chief Executive who manages all operational issues and recruits staff and volunteers.

A copy of our financial accounts can be viewed at the Charities Services website or is available on request.

HISTORY

Established in 1985 and originally called The Wellington Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Society (Inc), Alzheimers Wellington was formed to support families and care-givers, and to educate and inform the public and the medical and helping professions, about the problems associated with Alzheimers disease and other dementias.

In 2018, we rebranded as Dementia Wellington, a change designed to better reflect who we are and how we support people with all dementias - not just Alzheimer’s disease - and to align us with the dementia organisations working in other metropolitan areas in New Zealand.