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Dave Ngatai's memory used to hold on to everything from names and faces to the inner workings of the trucks he drove in the army.
Now, due to dementia, Dave has an attention span of less than a minute.
"Now, I'm talking with someone; I have to write it down. I have to carry my diary with me everywhere."
Dave and his wife and carer Vicki Ngatai shared their story with NZME after the World Alzheimers Report highlighted the need for ongoing community support for people with dementia post-diagnosis.
A policeman for 11 years, former Army truck driver, driving instructor and grandfather-of-three, Dave enjoyed having a lot on his plate.
But his lifestyle has been changing since he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia a few years ago in his late 50s.
Dave Ngatai (right) and his wife, Vicki. Dave was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in his late 50s. Photo / Supplied
"I used to drive trucks in the Army. I used to remember heaps of things. It's only in the last five years or so that it's got really worse.
"I still do things and I keep trying to do things, but every now and then I forget how to do something and I have to sit down and work it out. It's a real pain in the bum."
Dave and Vicki Ngatai plan to move to Whakatāne next year where they hope there will be more support. Photo / Supplied
Vicki said it would be great for Dave to be able to get out of the house and do activities without the need for her supervision.
Vicki said the biggest difficulty for her was finding patience, even after she'd been asked the same question for the hundredth time in one day.
"These days I just have to find it. I've got to change as well."
Vicki said she and Dave planned to move from Ōpōtiki to Whakatāne next year, where there would be more support services available such as peer groups and activities for people with younger-onset dementia which Dave can attend by himself.
According to Alzheimers New Zealand, as many as 30,000 New Zealanders with dementia and around as many care partners can't get the post-diagnostic community support they need.
Alzheimers New Zealand chief executive Catherine Hall said local Alzheimers and dementia organisations were in need of "urgent funding".
"To really help all the New Zealanders with dementia and their care partners, New Zealand needs to start focusing on reducing the incidence of dementia for the future, provide timely diagnosis, deliver flexible services across the dementia journey for people with dementia and carers, address the challenges around stigma and social isolation, and address the significant equity issues."
Awareness event
Audika Bay of Plenty is hosting an event to raise awareness of dementia this weekend.
The event is to complete 100 laps of Mauao.
There will be around 20 walkers from the clinic with their family and friends, as well as some residents from the retirement villages, and the wider community is welcome to attend. Those interested in attending should meet outside the Mount Surf Life Saving Club on Saturday at 10am.
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect how well our brains work. The most common dementia symptoms include changes in memory, thinking, behaviour, personality and emotions. These changes affect a person's ability to perform everyday tasks and interfere with their everyday lives. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease.
The impact of dementia in New Zealand:
• Almost 70,000 Kiwis are living with dementia today. • Almost 170,000 Kiwis are likely to be living with dementia by 2050. • Four out of five New Zealanders know or have known someone living with dementia. • Dementia impacts more women than men - the rate around 30 per cent higher. • The total cost of dementia to Aotearoa is now around $2.5b and will reach around $5.9b by 2050. • Care partners provide over one million hours of unpaid care every week.
