Alzheimers Otago manager Antoinette McLean said the organisation and supporters were holding a range of events during the month, culminating in a one-off fundraising film screening on World Alzheimer's Day this Saturday, September 21.
The fundraising film screening of documentary Human Forever, in association with the Otago Neuroscience Students Association (ONSA) and Brainstem Otago will be held from 6pm on Saturday in the Castle 2 lecture theatre on the University of Otago campus.
The film follows 24-year-old Dutch carer Teun Toebes, as he and film-maker Jonathan de Jong journey through 11 countries to uncover how dementia is approached worldwide and see what can be learned to create a more inclusive future. Human Forever is in Dutch with English subtitles.
All funds raised through tickets will go to Alzheimers Otago to help in their work, which includes supporting hundreds of local families living with dementia, education programmes and support groups.
Tickets are available via humanitix.
Along with the documentary film screening, which is the major event for the month, Ms McLean’s 10-episode podcast "Still Me — Life with Dementia" will be launched on Saturday through Otago Access Radio OAR FM.
The podcast covers many aspects of dementia, from diagnosis and information about the condition, to interviews with dementia advisers, a needs assessor, social worker, and experts Prof Yoram Barak and Prof Cliff Abraham, of the University of Otago.
"Through the podcast, I want to give people information about dementia and also to help move the conversation forward to help remove the stigma," Ms McLean said.
"Ultimately, if we can encourage people to seek help earlier, then everyone will benefit."
Alzheimers Otago is experiencing an increase in demand for its mostly free services, which included one-on-one support, 10 carer support groups across Otago and brain activity programmes: Mind in Motion, Minds Together and Bright Minds.
Community education is also an important aspect of its work.
"We are encountering more complex cases, which take more time and resources, but we do our best to support everyone to the best of our ability," she said.
You can donate to Alzheimers Otago at https://alzheimersotago.org.nz/donate/
• Several local organisations will mark World Alzheimer's Day with events this week.
Summerset at Bishopscourt retirement village will host an awareness morning tea this Friday; Lesley Groves rest-home will hold a morning tea on September 24, and Radius Fulton Care will also hold a morning tea. Dunedin Public Library will host an Alzheimer's awareness display on September 21.
