Catherine, 57, is living with dementia and attended a previous Rementia Together Retreat with her husband/support partner, Steve, with both describing it as “transformative”. Photo: Supplied.
With dementia rates in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven expected to increase 55 per cent by 2054, which is 4 per cent more than the national average, a new free dementia retreat in Berry will look to support those living with the condition in the region.
Run by Group Homes Australia, founder and executive director Tamar Krebs said Berry was selected for the first regional five-day government-funded Rementia Together Retreat from 19 August due to demand in the area and the Dementia Australia statistics.
Tamar said the Berry event would provide 10 free spots for those living with dementia and their carer in a bid to equip them with the support required to navigate life after a dementia diagnosis.
She said the reason behind the increase in dementia rates was partly due to people living longer.
“Obviously, dementia is not a normal part of aging, but the risk does increase as we live longer,” she said.
“We have a lot more people living into their 90s and 100s than we did previously.
“Plus, there’s a big awareness and push to get a diagnosis and so people are getting diagnosed earlier and faster than they used to get diagnosed.”
As for the reason the region had higher statistics, she said that came down to people tending to retire on the South Coast.
“I think you do have a concentration in that area of retirees, because it’s such a beautiful area of the country,” she said.
“When you have a concentration of older people, the statistics do rise.”
Tamar co-designed the unique retreat with dementia experts Dr Meredith Gresham and Jackie Pool and is based on the revived concept, ‘rementia’.
She said the retreat was disrupting post-diagnostic care by repositioning “dementia” (to be “away from the mind” in Latin) to “rementia” (to “return to the mind” in Latin).
“Framing the retreat as rementia is focusing on what you have, and how can we expand those skills, and how do we then create cognitive ramps or support for the areas where the dementia is impacting your day-to-day life?” she said.
“So, there will be lots of tips and tools for people to go home with, but the idea is to focus on the rementia and not just on the loss.”
Tamar said often the person living with dementia and their support partner lacked the crucial information required to navigate life after a dementia diagnosis, so the retreat would provide life-changing support, equipping them with the emotional, psychological, and mental skills to understand the diagnosis and live well with dementia.
Topics will include demystifying dementia, understanding the environment, communication, psychological support, peer support, understanding intimacy, food and mood, and exercise.
She said that when they had the right information, they could reduce carer fatigue and the early admission of people into residential aged care.
“We need to help both people live beyond their diagnosis and return to their sense of purpose, relevance and meaning,” she said.
Fully funded by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, it will be led by program director Donna Ward who experienced firsthand the challenges of her own mother’s dementia diagnosis because they did not receive support soon after her mother was diagnosed.
“For most of us, the dementia diagnosis is terrifying for both the person being diagnosed and their family and friends,” Donna said.
“The Rementia Together Retreat is designed specifically to overcome this fear.
“It’s been carefully curated to provide real, lasting change in how both people understand dementia; to flip the script on its head, and channel the fear into empowerment.”
To apply, participants must have a diagnosis of dementia, come as a couple, and the person living with dementia must consent.
For people further down their dementia journey, Group Homes Australia runs free demystifying dementia education programs twice a month.
Participants for the Berry retreat are invited to register their interest via grouphomes.com.au/5-day-retreat or +1300 015 406 by 30 June.
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