Inspired by the healthcare system in the Netherlands, Raumati couple Jan and Marian Weststrate are bringing innovative care models proven to work in their homeland, to Kāpiti.
After a year of renovations and gaining resource consent, Home4All on Raumati Rd has officially opened, providing a daytime programme for people withearly and moderate dementia.
Run from Jan and Marian's home with the help of volunteers, the couple created the space to suit the 'green care farms' model of care for people with memory loss, an innovative care model developed in their homeland, the Netherlands.
A day at Home4All in Raumati always starts off with a cup of tea and scones. Photo / Rumi Shivaz
Moving to New Zealand in 2007 with more than 40 years of healthcare experience each, the couple had a desire to share their knowledge with a new healthcare system.
Taking health professionals from New Zealand on tours to the Netherlands to show them different models of care, Jan and Marian found themselves being drawn toward dementia care.
"We saw a big difference between aged care here and aged care in the Netherlands," Jan said.
"To change a big machine is hard so we thought we would take the opportunity ourselves and start small with one of the models we think works."
One of the successful models in the Netherlands is the 'green care farms' approach which uses nature and being outside together, caring for the environment and animals to stimulate the mobility of the visitors in a natural way.
Each day activities like chopping wood keep the visitors to Home4All busy. Photo / Rumi Shivaz
"We are all about our visitors feeling like family and want them to have a meaningful day, whether it's in the garden planting and weeding or building something in the shed, it's about supporting them."
"The main thing is we try to do normal things," Marian said.
"They're most happy when they feel useful.
"We make lunch together, we do the dishes, we weed the garden, tend to the chickens and do activities.
"We help them make things by preparing projects before they arrive but also try to leave as much as possible of the everyday things such as preparing meals, for when everyone's here so there's a purpose.
"In summer we might go for a walk down to the beach, get icecream and walk the dog, just doing what you would do with your family in summer.
Cooking lunch at Home4All. Photo / Rumi Shivaz
"We want to add to the variety of what is offered in Kāpiti for people with memory loss."
Jan said meeting their visitors where they're at is a key part of their approach.
"People with dementia have a different view of reality as you and me.
"What we need to do is get into their reality, because when we're in their reality we can support them.
Home4All is currently open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am-4pm, with a max of 10 people attending per day. More days will be added as the service grows.
Visitors need to be diagnosed by a health professional and families interested in their relative attending Home4All can contact jan@home4all.co.nz to set up a visit.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a progressive disorder where there is a decline in a variety of mental functions. The word dementia is a term that covers a group of disorders of cognition.
However, all forms of dementia are associated with a decline in the ability to function day to day, emotional distress or behaviour changes.
Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia. It usually begins with a decline in memory and the ability to learn new things.
Later, in the course of steady, gradual deterioration, there are problems in other areas, for example, speech, planning or reasoning, recognising objects, and changes in emotions and behaviour.
