NEW CARE: From left to right, Napier deputy mayor Faye White, Alzheimer Society president Kim Mayne, Health Minister Tony Ryall, and Napier City councillor Rob Lutter at the opening of Wilding House. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR HBT133962-05
NEW CARE: From left to right, Napier deputy mayor Faye White, Alzheimer Society president Kim Mayne, Health Minister Tony Ryall, and Napier City councillor Rob Lutter at the opening of Wilding House. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR HBT133962-05
A three-year "journey" pursuing a goal which would benefit a growing number of people in the community stricken with dementia came to an end with the opening of Wilding House in Napier yesterday.
On hand was Associate Minister of Health Tony Ryall, Napier MP Chris Tremain and the chair ofAlzheimers New Zealand Susan Hitchener. Deputy Mayor Faye White also attended along with representatives from the Hawke's Bay District Health Board and many of the organisations involved in the funding programme.
A blessing was carried out by kaumatua Bevin Taylor and Reverend Sally Carter.
"Yes it has been quite a journey," Alzheimers Society Napier president Kim Mayne said.
She said the society bought the house, on the corner of Kennedy Rd and Wilding Ave in Marewa, three years ago on what she called "a wish and a prayer".
"A small deposit, a loan and a great deal of hope and determination - this for me is a very special day as we see the culmination of an idea we started talking about many years ago."
Especially pleasing was having a designated centre where a specialist community team could work from, as well as providing a large area to provide day respite. It also features an "early intervention" meeting place.
"The purpose of the society is to educate, support and inform people who are diagnosed with dementia or memory loss," Mrs Mayne said. "To make a positive difference in the lives of people and for their family and whanau."
She said the centre was an essential part of the community as they had begun to see what she described as "a tsunami of dementia affecting our community".
Mrs Mayne paid special tribute to the work of the society's manager, Rob Lutter.
"He has been amazing and a driving force in relaying the vision of the society to the various funders which have contributed to bringing the project to completion."
Close to $800,000 had been raised to set the centre up, and ensure the society could operate.
