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Good Companions Bring Laughter, Learning – and Life – to Hawke’s Bay
It’s a crisp Thursday morning at Birdwoods Café, and table chatter hums with energy. Over shared treats and steaming mugs, seven members of the Good Companions Hastings group relax into easy conversation. A short walk next door takes them to the gallery, their smiles reflecting more than art appreciation – it’s connection, purpose, and belonging.
In Napier, meanwhile, six others lace up for a boardwalk stroll. The sea breeze brings fresh air and fresh conversation, each step reaffirming the mission behind Dementia New Zealand’s Active Brain programme: engaging the mind and body through socially rich, purpose-driven experiences.
Rediscovering creativity together
Members light up during pottery. They shape clay, paint, laugh – rediscovering their ability to create. Recently, Napier Good Companions moulded mugs in a pottery workshop and another day immersed themselves in art classes. Other outings have included a tour of the Hawke’s Bay Recycling Centre, offering insight into sustainability and reflections of their own journeys.
In Hastings, the group has explored the ToiToi Event Centre, visited Birdwoods Gallery, and walked the oceanfront boardwalk. Activities are deliberately chosen to foster curiosity, autonomy, and engagement – a lifeline for independence.
Community-driven, supported by care
Facilitators from Dementia Hawke’s Bay organise each monthly gathering, using the opportunity to check in on participant needs. But the activities are driven by members themselves – choices and companionship grow naturally. Between meetings, they share rides, phone check-ins, and small gestures of support. As one participant puts it, “No one is on their own.”
At the same time, the team supports care partners – many still working – by connecting them with respite services, therapy, counselling, and planning tools. NASC assessments help ensure needs are identified early and appropriately met throughout the dementia journey.
What lies ahead
Looking forward, there’s excitement for poetry mornings, more seaside strolls, and museum visits – all rewarding experiences to be shared over coffee and conversation. These activities deepen mental stimulation and social connection in ways that matter most.
In a region already cherished for its scenic beauty, Good Companions offers something even more meaningful: a space where people living with dementia | mate wareware are welcomed, valued, and empowered.
Kia kaha e hoa mā – Good Companions is lighting the way to a welcoming, caring future in Hawke’s Bay.
