Lynette Tippett visits to lead Memory Walk
Alzheimers Taranaki is about to hold its Memory Walk. On Sunday September 18 the organisation will turn the Coastal Walkway in to a sea of purple for the event, led by Associate Professor Lynette Tippett, who leads the Dementia Research Clinic development in New Zealand at the Centre for Brain Research.
‘‘She was born and raised in Hawera,’’ Alzheimers Taranaki manager Ana Parkes said. ‘‘She works along with Professor Faull, who led the walk last year. She’ll give a talk at the end of the walk.’’
It starts in front of the skating rink at East End at 10am before heading along the walkway and finishing at Puke Ariki Landing for a coffee and sausage sizzle.
About 250 people attended the walk last year. ‘‘The weather may have put some people off joining us,’’ Parkes said.
‘‘Hopefully this year the weather will be kinder. The special thing about it last year was there was such a good feeling about it. Everybody who took part, I think, felt that it was a really worthwhile thing to do.’’
People don’t have to register for the walk, and participants get a free purple t-shirt and balloon. ‘‘Although if people walked last year and still have their t-shirts they’re encouraged to recycle.’’
September is World Alzheimers Month and the walk is to raise awareness of dementia. ‘‘It also provides an opportunity for people who know someone, or have known someone with dementia, to remember them.’’
About 20 other memory walks will be held around the country on or around the same date.
People can reduce the risk of having dementia by:
❚ Looking after your heart.
❚ Being physically active.
❚ Following a healthy diet.
❚ Challenging your brain.
❚ Enjoying social activity.
Warning signs of dementia according to Alzheimers New Zealand include:
❚ Recent memory affects daily life.
❚ Difficulty performing regular tasks.
❚ Problems with language.
❚ Disorientation of time and place.
❚ Decreased or poor judgement.
❚ Problems with complex tasks.
❚ Misplacing things.
❚ Changes in mood and behaviour.
❚ Problems relating to others.
❚ Loss of initiative. loss that