In 1987 a public meeting was held at the Wesley Centre concerning the lack of services for people with dementia living in the community. From that meeting an Inaugural Meeting was held in Ward 4 Wairau Hospital on Wednesday 17th of June 1987. It was established by members of the Marlborough Community that there was an urgent need for a day centre to be started. This would allow family carers of people with dementia living in the community time out from their caring role. The centre would provide a safe secure environment for people with dementia, where they could have social interaction and stimulation whilst at the same time carers could have time out from the 24hr a day seven days a week care giving role.
Support group meetings ( link to Support group programmes) for carers would take place once a month to provide information and support to help them in their role as caregivers.
Alzheimers Marlborough became an Incorporated Society on 1st October 1987. The official opening of the day centre service was held on 10th of February 1988.
Purpose built
With the generous support of Marlborough District Council and the community our purpose-built facility the “Alzheimers Centre” was opened in February 2009.
The Centre has a commercial kitchen from which our client meals are prepared, a lounge, dining area, clients’ toilets and showering facilities, offices for all staff, and a reception area. There is a meeting room suitable for approximately 20 people, used for support group meetings, educational seminars. Our facilities are hired out to other users.
We also have laundry facilities, garaging for out van, a garden and a workshop area for our clients use.