Evergreen group

Meeting and socialising with others is important for those with Alzheimer's. There are clubs here where people can go for the day. These clubs are very popular and it is difficult to get into one of them. This is because of the number of people now being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. To get a place in one of these clubs the social worker from the hospital organises it for the person. The Evergreen club rang earlier in the week and they had a space on a Thursday and thought that George might like to go along to have a look.

We went for morning tea and then, as George seemed to settling down with the others, I left him for the day. The day is from 10.15 to 2.30.

The timetable:

• Morning tea
• Quiz
• Housie
• Exercises (chair)
• Lunch
• Games - cards etc

George did tell me he preferred the people at the memory clinic but all up he seemed to enjoy the club.

Before the earthquakes George had a group of friends who met weekly for lunch. The earthquakes have disrupted a lot of our lives. George's group no longer meets as the place where they used to meet has gone and with the roads being so impossible nothing was done to reorganise their meeting again. One of the members died (old age, not earthquake). George also no longer drives - he 'lost' his car and then had an accident he didn't remember having, so it is important that I make sure that he goes to meet these other people. It is not enough to just have the company of your partner and family the stimulation of others company is also important.