Remuera (Tua) Rangimokotua cares for his partner who is suffering from dementia.

To learn more about dementia and caregiving, Rangimokotua is attending the third Te Vaerua Community Rehabilitation practical and theory workshop. The workshop which started yesterday is for caregivers and family members looking after the elderly and disabled.

In 2019, Rangimokotua began to notice changes in his partner’s behaviour, including her forgetfulness. Following checkups with Dr Rangiau Fariu, she was diagnosed with dementia.

“So, I had to change my lifestyle. My outing is to the RSA once a week or we go and watch our granddaughter play her sports, that’s the times we go out,” said Rangimokotua.

There have been mishaps in their home such as an electric kettle on a burning gas stove. “You just have to be patient, there no point in getting angry, make sure they are safe first then let it go.”

“I have to keep an eye on her and look after her the best I can.”

Aged 68, he says: “This (dementia) could happen to me later, so I’d like to learn more about dementia, and as much as I can about care giving.”

He has heard people say “caregiving is a women’s job and not a man’s”. Rangimokotua disagrees, “no, it’s not just a women’s job. When you care for one another you take care of each other.”

Te Vaerua’s service manager Maine Beniamina says communication is very important when one is caring for patients.

In this course more demonstrations have been included such as how to wash a patient’s hair in bed and more questions were asked about mental health illnesses, said Beniamina.

Beniamina is pleased to see two women complete online caregiving courses and are assisting Te Vaerua to gain more practical knowledge by helping out with services in the community such as bathing patients.

There are also families on the island who are making renovations to their homes to accommodate returning parents who will need assistance, she said.

Kapiri Tiaiti, one of the 11 participants, shares her mother who has suffered three strokes and is wheelchair bound will be returning home with her father to live here.

In preparation for her arrival, renovations have been taking place to improve accessibility to their two storey home.

Tiaiti is taking the course “to have a better understanding of how to do things when caring for a stroke patient”.

“This is something good for me to learn and will also help me if anything happens to my own family,” she said.

Ake Utanga, who is providing care giving for her mother, also took part in the seminar. “Your whole attitude has to change and you have to look on the bright side,” she said.

Her sister Ngametua is such a great help, she says, adding “I give credit to her”.

Utanga grew up living with elderly people and in the past has worked with the Cook Islands Family Welfare and Kathy (Aunty Kath) Koteka.

“I’m grateful to Te Vaerua for their assistance and for these workshops where we can learn more about being a caregiver,” she said.