Our Blogs

This is the twelfth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Demystifying Dementia: Everything you Need to Know
(The Text Publishing Company, 2024)                          
Rose Capp             
368 pages 

This is the eleventh in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Blimmin’ Koro!: Kātahi rā, e Koro e!
(Oratia Books, 2021)                          
Jill Bevan-Brown, Illustrated by Trish Bowles.
Māori translation by Māhaki Bevan-Brown              
32 pages 

This is the tenth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

One Last Thing: How To Live With the End in Mind
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023)
Wendy Mitchell with Anna Wharton
228 pages

This is the ninth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Through the Looking Glass
(Pennsylvania State University Press, 2016)
Dana Walrath   
72 pages

Reading about other people’s experiences helped me emotionally and practically around my dad’s condition. My hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and nonfiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

If there are any books you would like reviewed, please send me the titles.

This review of The Year My Family Unravelled has been written by a guest reviewer, my partner, the writer Mia Farlane. My own book Dad, You’ve Got Dementia was published in July so I have not had time in the second half of the year to write reviews; I will be getting back to regular reviews in 2024.

- Kristen Phillips

This is the seventh in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Head On: An All Black’s memoir 
(Harper Collins, June 2023)
Carl Hayman
311 pages
Order at any book shop or online.

‘I used to play ruby and was quite good at it. I’m a man who hit a woman I loved, the mother of three of my children ... I’m a kid from a farm and still a wannabe farmer. I’m an alcoholic. I’m brain damaged and sometimes scared, sometimes lonely, I’m loving and loyal. I’m a bit of a mess.

Yeah, I’m all that, but there’s one other thing I am ...I’m not without hope.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

This is the sixth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Remember Me 
(Allen & Unwin, 2022) 
Charity Norman 
418 pages (large print version)

This is the fifth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

What I wish people knew about dementia from someone who knows
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022)
Wendy Mitchell
224 pages

Everyone has their challenges; mine just happens to be dementia.  p73

Order at any independent book shop, or online.

This is the link to Wendy Mitchell’s blog: https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/

A new Australian film focusing on a family’s experience of dementia opened in New Zealand cinemas on 4 August.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

This is the fourth in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

A Better Brain for Life: Preventing Dementia and Other Chronic Diseases
(Calico Publishing, 2022)
Angela Caughey
188 pages

Order from Calico publishing here

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

This is the third in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

The quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped. Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century. For example, pop hits by The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Abba, and such blockbuster films as Lawrence of Arabia,  The Godfather, and Dr. Zhivago.

The quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped. Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century. For example, pop hits by The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Abba, and such blockbuster films as Lawrence of Arabia,  The Godfather, and Dr. Zhivago.

The quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped. Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century.

This is the second in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

Contented Dementia
(Vermilion, Random House, 2009)
Oliver James
286 pages

‘Today, I know that the disability created by dementia does not have to be hellish, that it truly is possible to create well-being for the rest of the person’s life.’
(Introduction p1)

The quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped! Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century.

The Quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped. Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century.

The Quizmaster, Barry Prince (83) is aware of the irony of asking quiz questions of the AD community, when many of them suffer from memory problems, but explains: “My family member suffering from AD has wonderful memories about life in the 20th century, but struggles to recall what happened in the big netball tournament last week. Accordingly, I have selected quick quizzes from the archive that are focused on people and events before the new millennium.”
 
Each of the Quick Quizzes is confined to 10 questions a single subject – pop music, films, celebrities, history, and geography, for example. There aren’t any questions about politics or science – Barry says anyone who missed Chemistry and Physics at college won’t be handicapped. Most of the questions are about things that happened in the 20th century.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Caring for someone living with dementia can be both very rewarding and extremely stressful, mentally and physically. Becoming emotionally involved as a carer means we take our role very seriously, but that dedication can also lead to us devoting more time and energy to the person they are supporting than to themselves.

That’s why it is so important that care partners have access to good support services and resources. The Alzheimers NZ,  Dementia Learning Centre have developed a new online Caring for the Carers programme that helps care partners take better care of themselves. 

This is the first in a series of book reviews from Kristen Phillips. Reading about other people’s experiences helped Kristen emotionally and practically around her father’s illness. Her hope is that these reviews will raise awareness of the ever-increasing number of books (fiction and non-fiction) available to support and educate those of us affected by dementia.

What’s the story about the dementia and the COVID vaccine in New Zealand – is it safe? Dr Matthew Croucher discusses the evidence.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Lara Hitchcock, Registered Nurse with the Memory Assessment Clinic at Burwood Hospital, shares a selection of dementia and delirium education resources from the past month.

Dr Rosemary Frey, Dr Deborah Balmer, and Ms Katherine Nelson from the University of Auckland are seeking people aged 60+ to answer a questionnaire on views about assisted dying.

Clare Teague from LandSAR (Land Search And Rescue New Zealand ) discusses the importance of safe walking for people living with dementia and New Zealand's own Wandatrack programme.

Dr Matthew Croucher reviews the new edition of Tom Kitwood's influential book "Dementia Reconsidered.  The Person Comes First".

Memory clinic nurse Lara Hitchcock asked people living with dementia and their supporters about what information they wanted at diagnosis. Here Lara shares the results of her study.

Dr Chris  Perkins  highlights the increased risk of dementia associated with head injuries.

Dr Chris Perkins wonders why it is still so hard to talk about dementia.

Dr Chris Perkins discusses some of the alternative medicines that have been suggested as being useful for dementia.

Julie Bourla discusses how poetry is an excellent way of connecting people, and has shown itself to be a powerful approach to reconnecting with people who are having difficulty communicating.

Dr Chris Perkins discusses how voting is a form of civic participation for people living with dementia to be encouraged.

Shereen Moloney, NZ Dementia Foundation Executive Director  discusses the  importance of recognising the growing group of people living with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and dementia.

Shereen Moloney, the Executive Director of the New Zealand Dementia Foundation, calls for the resources to help people living with dementia to live well.