People barely at retirement age are among a growing number of Tauranga residents showing signs of dementia - and those at the coalface say it will only get worse as the city grows.
Alzheimers New Zealand's Tauranga branch has seen a 19 per cent increase in the number of people with the condition in the past year alone.
The non-profit organisation provides support, information, education programmes with services such as support for families, information, plus befriending services and day programmes for people with dementia.
September is World Alzheimer's Month and former Tauranga branch manager Jane Moore said the organisation's main concern was identifying people with early onset dementia.
"That's people about 65 and younger now presenting with dementia and the social issues with that are huge," she said.
"They might still be at work and active in clubs. This is when people are still driving and probably managing quite well but there are early signs of dementia."
It is estimated 900 people aged 65 will be diagnosed with dementia in the Bay of Plenty by the year 2026. By 2050 that figure is expected to double.
Ms Moore said it was important to recognise the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia to help families plan ahead and manage affairs.
Breaking through the stigma that often surrounded dementia was crucial for this to happen and Tauranga had a unique problem in the amount of people who moved to the area to retire, Ms Moore said.
They often left long-time friends or family, who would normally be in a position to help or recognise the early stages.
"Tauranga has 5.6 per cent more of an ageing population than the rest of New Zealand. There's a lot of older people living here," Ms Moore said. "They move away from their community and possibly more loyal friends. . . they end up isolated."
Betty*, a Pyes Pa woman in her early 70s, whose husband died several weeks ago, said not enough people were aware of the disease .
"About two months before John* was admitted we went to the supermarket and I did what women do and got chatting with a friend and here was John getting into a person's car. A woman came along and I said 'I'm sorry, my husband has Alzheimer's' and her words just stunned me.
"She said 'I think I've heard of that disease'. This was a woman in my age group. People just don't know." Betty said the couple moved back from overseas after John's diagnosis hoping for family help, which did not happen.
If it were not for the support she and her husband received from Tauranga Alzheimer's and the Aged Mental Health unit at Tauranga Hospital, she would not have survived, she said.
* Betty and John's real names have not been used to protect their identity.
The new Tauranga manager for Alzheimers's New Zealand is Judi Strachan. She has replaced Ms Moore.
September is World Alzheimer's Month and September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day.