Kingswood haven
Kingswood Rest Homes are comfortable, compassionate and a friendly safe haven for those with dementia.
Situated in Matamata, Morrinsville and Cambridge, each unit specialises in the 24-hour care of people who have been assessed as requiring stage three dementia care. They also offer a range of other rest home care. Morrinsville’s facility also offers independent living options.
Kingswood Rest Homes are privately owned facilities and offer a premium level of care for all their residents. There is a qualified, dedicated team in place to ensure the needs of residents are adequately met.
Each rest home is housed in single-storey buildings surrounded by lovely established grounds and trees.
Kingswood has fulltime inhouse activity co-ordinators to ensure its residents are kept active, stimulated and above all, having fun. The rest homes are accredited by DAA, which is one of New Zealand’s leading providers of quality and risk management auditing services in the health and disability sector.
The team also works closely with the Waikato District Health Board and mental health team for older people as well as Alzheimers Waikato. Howard Booth is on a journey.
‘‘I don’t know quite where it’s going to lead to; it’s a bit of an unknown destiny, but it certainly is a journey.’’
The 68-year-old was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in January last year after attending a memory clinic. ‘‘It was a bit scary for me, probably out of ignorance because I probably didn’t understand what it was.’’
His wife – and now carer – Sally said the diagnosis made sense.
Howard had been having trouble with his memory and managing things which normally would not require any thought.
‘‘Just yesterday, I couldn’t remember my own phone number. We’ve had it 15, 20 years,’’ Howard said.
He retired a few years ago after it became too difficult to manage his building business, and now had trouble keeping motivated.
He also struggled doing things around the house that used to come easily.
‘‘I really have lost my confidence and that’s quite frustrating really, to think I used to be able to nail a bit of wood into a bit of wood, now I have to pay somebody to do that.’’
Sally still worked part-time and said it could be hard juggling work with looking after Howard and their 13-year-old son, Reuben.
Howard was particularly worried about how the disease impacted on Reuben.
‘‘I’m trying to be a good father to Reuben,’’ he said.
‘‘I feel I fail at time, I don’t give him the attention he deserves.’’
The couple said support from Alzheimer’s Canterbury had been invaluable for helping them cope with the disease.
‘‘To talk to other people who’ve got the same problem – you don’t feel so alone in this journey, which is really good.
‘‘Life’s not all bad.’’