Round Lake Taupo for Dementia NZ

My mum (Rosemary) and her sister (Jean) both died with Dementia in the space of 11 months. One in four people will die with Dementia.

Dementia. The relentless, determined thief.

Sometimes it takes a little, hardly noticeable, like a pickpocket.

Then, the next visit can be like a ram raid. Varying degrees of memory, as well as cognitive and physical abilities, taken away from loved ones, right in front of family members and friends.

Caregivers are often family members – usually a spouse (in our case dad), on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all 52 weeks of the year. Consistency of routine (and caregiver) goes a long way in terms of both quality of care and life for those with dementia.

More can and needs to be done in New Zealand to provide the appropriate level of support for those impacted by Dementia.

That takes money.

On Saturday November 25, 2023 – which is also the 45th anniversary of the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge - I’m riding a 160km lap of Lake Taupo and hoping to raise a few dollars in support of Dementia New Zealand.

Thanks very much for any donation you are able to make.