Consumer Advisory Group Carmel Boyle Donna Hedley

You can make a difference to the services provided to those affected by dementia in your area and beyond because you have lived it!!! Because it is your lived experience

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US Enabling people to make decisions , choices and do things for themselves, and respecting those decisions, is critical in services for people with dementia. There is not one set of experts but three: those with a diagnosis of dementia, the people who are close to them and professionals. ALL TOO OFTEN THE EXPERTISE OF LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND PREFERENCES, INTERESTS AND SKILLS ARE OVERLOOKED. (Perkins, Hill, Daley, Chappell, & Rennison,2016,p.19) As appears in the Alzheimer New Zealand Dementia Service and Standards

Work to date of the Alzheimers Manawatu Consumer Advisory Groups Know your people, who is who in the maze of the health system Who are the professionals who visit Transition to care coordinator Supporting carers as their person with dementia transition from community living into residential care and changing levels of care Lobbying the local MP’s Review of the introduction packs Sharing life stories to highlight dementia and the challenges in the community

Our amazing advisory group