Dementia Waikato

Dementia advisor in Whitianga

Janine Appleby, Dementia Advisor is available for clients and families in the Mercury Bay and Whitianga area. Your local advisor and Dementia Waikato can help with and provide:

• home visits and phone support
• advice about community support 
• family education sessions
• activity groups for people with dementia
• training for carers
• care partner support groups.

About Janine

Janine has a well-established career as an occupational therapist helping children and adults with neurological conditions, including 10 years in the United Kingdom working both inpatient and community in Dementia Care Services. Her experience also covers inpatient rehabilitation, community and rural work across the USA, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand. She lives with her son and French lop rabbit, in the Hauraki and in her spare time can be seen hiking through mountain ranges across New Zealand.

Contact Janine to organise a call or visit.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is used to describe the gradual loss of brain function due to progressive damage to the brain. This is often caused by conditions such as Alzheimers Disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewi-Body Dementia/Parkinson's Dementia, and Front-Temporal Dementia. It is not a mental illness and not a normal part of ageing.

Dementia today impacts 1 in 3 New Zealanders in some way, with over 60,000 people with a diagnosis in NZ.

What are the symptoms?

Everyone is different and symptoms can vary. some common symptoms include:

• gradual memory loss
• repeating statements or questions
• difficulty performing familiar tasks
• difficulty handling money
• loss of initiative / apathy
• disorientation of time and place
• impaired judgement
• changes to personality
• changes in mood or behaviour
• problems with language
• deterioration in driving skills
• misplacing things.

If you are concerned, then please contact your GP.

About Dementia Waikato

Dementia Waikato's aim is to reduce the stigma and encourage early diagnosis of dementia, by assisting and empowering those with dementia and their families to live well with the condition.

Please see the Dementia Waikato webpage for information about education, advice, support and awareness.