Places still available at brain health workshop

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Registrations are still open for Thursday’s Ways to Keep your Brain Healthy workshop run by Alzheimers Gisborne Tairāwhiti.

The two-hour workshop is a non-clinical presentation that is easy to understand with activities that make it interactive and fun.

The workshop starts at 10am and is presented in the Sherwood lounge at Alzheimers Gisborne rooms,

“The cost is $20 and registrations are essential,” Alzheimers Gisborne manager Tracy Robinson said.

“Most people seem aware that dementia is on the increase but they console themselves that it is an old person’s problem and won’t affect them for many years, if at all. While there is no doubt that the risk of getting dementia increases with age, the number of people with young onset dementia (under 65 years of age) are on the increase. In a two-year study conducted in Waikato, Dr Brigid Ryan and associates found that of those diagnosed with any sort of dementia 13 percent were aged 30 – 64 years and 22.7 percent were 45-64 years.

“The research also pointed to the fact that more men than women are diagnosed with young onset and there was a much higher prevalence in Māori and Pacific people than European and Asian.

“This suggests that generally speaking young men are not good at looking after their brain health nor are Māori and Pacific people. Often there are ways to lessen the risk of dementia by modifying your lifestyle but it requires commitment to change things like eating and drinking habits,” said Ms Robinson.

“High impact sports and road accidents can contribute to dementia which puts young men at more at risk of falling into this category,” she added.

“March is Brain Awareness Month. It is the month to give some thought to live well, take better care of the brain and lower the risks associated with dementia and other neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinsons, and depression.”

Phone 867 0752 or email gisborne.alzheimers@xtra.co.nz to register for the event.

It is also the perfect time to sign up for the organisation’s 14-day Brain Health Challenge! Learn more about how to fuel up with nutritious food and keep the brain and body active by trying some simple and fun games, exercises, new healthy recipes.

https://challenge.alzheimers.org.nz/