Alzheimers Tauranga is opening a new clinic in Papamoa in response to increasing demand for its services.

Tauranga's high proportion of elderly residents means dementia will have a significant impact on the community in the future, says Alzheimers Tauranga manager Jane Moore.
New Zealand currently has an estimated 40,746 people with dementia, which is expected to rise to 74,821 by 2026.
July is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. The Tauranga branch of Alzheimers New Zealand is highlighting the impact Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia can have on people's lives.
'Lots of people joke about losing their memory or having ‘a senior moment' but Alzheimers is about more than memory loss. There are behavioural changes, disorientation, continence issues and wandering,” says Jane.
'If people come to us early after diagnosis, we can help them put together a care package and plan for the future.”
The monthly Papamoa clinic will be held at Papamoa Community Centre on the fourth Tuesday of every month, from July 28, 9.30-11.30am.
The society also holds monthly support group meetings in Tauranga, Te Puke, Papamoa, Mount Maunganui and Katikati.