{"id":99571,"date":"2025-10-25T00:24:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T00:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/99571\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T00:24:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T00:24:09","slug":"dementia-in-northland-a-story-of-love-heartbreak-and-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/99571\/","title":{"rendered":"Dementia in Northland: A story of love, heartbreak and resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most days, he forgets basic tasks such as washing the dishes but, on bad days, he can be dangerous, such as accidentally opening the car door while being driven down the motorway because he confused the door handle with the window knob.<\/p>\n

Mike is one of a growing number of New Zealanders with dementia<\/a>, also known as mate wareware, an umbrella term for a range of progressive conditions impacting a person\u2019s ability to think, reason and remember.<\/p>\n

According to the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan 2026-31, written by New Zealand NGOs, there are an estimated 83,000 Kiwis with dementia. This is expected to more than double to 170,000 by 2050.<\/p>\n

Health inequities further complicate the picture, with dementia projected to increase at a faster rate in M\u0101ori<\/a>, Pasifika and Asian communities.<\/p>\n

M\u0101ori face higher risks of developing dementia and poorer access to care, while rural communities also have less access to care, the plan says.<\/p>\n

While the number of Northlanders with mate wareware is not recorded by Health NZ, Dementia Tai Tokerau has seen a huge increase in demand<\/a>, with a 40% growth in client numbers over five years. <\/p>\n

\"MikeMike Rangi (Tuwharetoa) has dementia, which increasingly impacts Maori patients. Photo \/ Michael Cunningham Photography<\/p>\n

The organisation, previously called Alzheimer\u2019s Northland, is feeling the impact of a growing and ageing population, with more retirees moving north, says chief executive Trudi Bridges.<\/p>\n

She also believes more people are seeking help so they can stay at home for longer.<\/p>\n

\u2018I knew something was happening\u2019<\/p>\n

Peggy says she picked up early that Mike was not his usual self<\/a> when he began spending indiscriminately, such as buying a new spade because he couldn\u2019t remember where he left his other one.<\/p>\n

A red flag was raised on a holiday with friends when the couple lost the keys to their accommodation. Mike was adamant that Peggy was the last one to have them. When they found that Mike had them all along, there was no apology or recollection of the disagreement<\/a>, she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very, very lucky I picked it up. I knew something was happening. A lot of people, I think, don\u2019t pick it up until later on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike\u2019s early diagnosis has meant more time to understand what dementia is and how it progresses, and more time to plan for the future, she says.<\/p>\n

It was also a chance for Peggy to learn more about her personality and spirituality, as she is learning shamanic studies online.<\/p>\n

\"PeggyPeggy Rangi (Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua) says living with Mike’s dementia has been a learning curve for her after 50 years of marriage. Photo \/ Michael Cunningham Photography<\/p>\n

\u201cLuckily for me, I was able to know myself, because when I knew myself, I was able to help him.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, I can modulate my voice so that it isn\u2019t intimidating or threatening, and it keeps him stable and feeling comfortable in himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she understands people avoid a dementia diagnosis, because \u201cit is scary\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, there were benefits in early diagnosis, with patterns and routine. I was able to get into a routine so that he could work on a subconscious level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staying at home on their rural Kaiwaka property is Mike\u2019s comfort zone.<\/p>\n

If they need to go out, such as going to the doctor, Peggy spends a day planning, working out everything from what Mike will wear to making sure his fingernails are cut.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get him to the point where he hops in the car and he\u2019s not stressed, because I\u2019m taking him out of routine. If he\u2019s stressed, we\u2019re arguing in the car and it\u2019s a dangerous drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve always believed in trying to stay positive\u2019<\/p>\n

\"MikeMike Rangi says staying positive is key for him and wife Peggy. Photo \/ Denise Piper<\/p>\n

Mike says he usually forgets about his dementia diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I probably only took it in for a moment and then forgot about it. I\u2019ve always believed in trying to stay positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

He can easily recall stories from the past, such as his career with an international import\/export company, working his way up in chemistry sales, despite having no formal qualifications.<\/p>\n

As a competitive squash player, who trained both adults and children, staying positive is something he has always focused on.<\/p>\n

The impact on 24-hour caregivers<\/p>\n

While there is no cure for dementia and it is eventually fatal, the impact on caregivers like Peggy is arguably greater, with data showing carers frequently die before the person they are looking after.<\/p>\n

Peggy, 75, admits she is often stressed as she is a \u201c24\/7 caregiver, cleaner, CEO, CFO, COO, chef, purchasing officer and mechanic\u201d.<\/p>\n

She describes the situation as heartbreaking, with Mike constantly breaking his word, and it can also be dangerous.<\/p>\n

She, too, tries to stay positive: \u201cI have to remember everything passes, and this too shall pass.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not always easy. \u201cMarriage is a trap, I would never recommend it to anybody,\u201d she says wistfully. \u201cWhen you say, \u2018I do, for better or worse, in sickness and in health,\u2019 that\u2019s the worst contract you can make.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PeggyPeggy and Mike Rangi live in rural Kaiwaka, where services are scant and support involves a long drive. Photo \/ Michael Cunningham Photography<\/p>\n

Dementia Tai Tokerau has been a huge support, especially with its monthly support group in Mangawhai for carers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing. The people there are all at different stages of their loved ones living with dementia … It gives you insight and allows you to strategise on how to handle the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all their children living in Australia, the strategy now is to move from rural Kaiwaka, where services are limited, to Taup\u014d so they can be closer to relatives and facilities such as a library.<\/p>\n

What are the warning signs?<\/p>\n

While memory lapses can get worse when people age, dementia is far more than forgetfulness, impacting a person\u2019s ability to think and reason.<\/p>\n

Alzheimers New Zealand advises that, if you are worried you, or someone you know, is showing signs of dementia mate wareware, see your GP or primary health care provider for a full assessment.<\/p>\n

Denise Piper is a news reporter<\/a> for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Most days, he forgets basic tasks such as washing the dishes but, on bad days, he can be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":99572,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1443,13038,72920,8347,95,19796,1239,799,26670,7191,2245,1888,72919,5838,23500,78,6804,2882,5829,111,43,139,7977,1067,11225,69,1118,193,33220,12879,1436,1963,38889,5652,427,11227,72921,1455,6923,80],"class_list":["post-99571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-about","tag-advocate","tag-afraid","tag-alzheimers","tag-and","tag-available","tag-condition","tag-dementia","tag-denise","tag-disease","tag-early","tag-first","tag-heartbreak","tag-help","tag-impact","tag-in","tag-light","tag-love","tag-many","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-northern","tag-northland","tag-northlanders","tag-nz","tag-of","tag-other","tag-piper","tag-resilience","tag-rise","tag-series","tag-shines","tag-signs","tag-story","tag-talk","tag-types","tag-warning","tag-what","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}