Memory Walk puts focus on dementia sufferers

SUPPORT: Tessa Bond with Luna, and Megan Clapham with Sage, attended the walk to support over 60,000 New Zealanders affected by dementia. PHOTO: KARLA KARAITIANA

Hundreds of people in purple gathered in The Square on Saturday to take part in a walk of remembrance.

The Alzheimer's Manawatu Memory Walk was held as part of World Alzheimer's Month, to raise awareness and support for people affected by dementia.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a group of symptoms which change and damage the brain. The most common symptoms include changes in memory, thinking, behaviour, personality and emotion.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50 and 60 per cent of dementias.

Saturday's sunny weather bought supporters out in force, as they wore purple, donned purple tutu's and grasped purple balloons.

Tessa Bond and Megan Clapham brought their dogs Sage and Luna to join the walk. Ms Clapham had decided to take part because her mum had looked after a man with dementia.

"I just thought it would be a really good thing to take part in and acknowledge my mum's work with dementia and the gentleman she worked with."

Dementia is one of New Zealand's biggest healthcare challenges and it will have major personal, societal and fiscal impacts in the years ahead.

A report by Alzheimer's New Zealand estimates there has been a 29 per cent increase in the number of people with dementia in five years, going from nearly 50,000 in 2011 to over 60,000 in 2016.

The same report estimates by 2050 more than 170,000 Kiwis will be living with dementia and this will cost the country about $5 billion.

Alzheimer's New Zealand chief executive Catherine Hall says despite the high number of dementia sufferers in our country, there is still very little discussion or acknowledgement of its everyday impacts.

"Most people with dementia live in our communities. They shop, work, eat out, catch the bus, go to the library and do everything else we all enjoy doing. One of Alzheimer's NZ's core goals is to create a dementia-friendly New Zealand that caters well for the many thousands of people who will be living with the condition over the next 30 years."

For dementia support call Alzheimer's New Zealand on 0800 004 001 or email admin@alzheimers.org.nz.