Dawn’s story: “The Day Club has changed our lives.”
“It’s lovely having some time to restore myself – and I know it’s as good for me as it is for Syd.”
Dawn and Syd moved to Pakuranga Park Village around six years ago and were making the most of their retirement. However, about three years ago, Syd’s health began to deteriorate and he started becoming easily confused. “When we first moved here, he was active and well. One of his passions in retirement was to build a 9-metre motorhome and we had many wonderful trips in it,” Dawn recalls.
Unfortunately, by the time Syd finished building the motorhome, his eyesight had declined to the point where he could no longer drive it. “It was very sad to see him reach that stage, and since we needed a heavy-duty license to drive the motorhome, I had to get a Class 2 licence and drive it for him.”
That was a turning point for Dawn and Syd and their lifestyle began to change from being active and fully involved in village life to Dawn taking on the role of caregiver. “He used to play bowls with other residents, go to all the dinners and social functions, but Syd was at a point where he couldn’t cope with it,” she explains. “We began to spend more time on our own as he started to struggle mentally and physically.”
Dawn found this adjustment challenging. “Watching someone you love decline is terribly difficult. Our lives have changed dramatically,” she says. “I’m grateful we moved into the Village when we did; it would have been so much harder had we still been living in our larger home and dealing with all the maintenance on top of everything else.”
Part of the challenge is the physical demands of caring for Syd. “I’m always exhausted at the end of each day, especially as he wakes frequently during the night, so neither of us gets much rest,” Dawn explains. “I was becoming very tired, and things were getting on top of me.”
‘Wonderful care’ for Syd and time out for Dawn
On her doctor’s recommendation, Dawn eventually agreed to try the Day Club. “I hesitated at first because it was a big change, but I was getting worn down and realised we needed to give it a chance.”
Now Dawn drops Syd off at the Day Club twice a week and says it couldn’t be going better. “He wakes up early on those days because he’s so keen to go!” she says. From the beginning, the Day Club staff have been welcoming. “The people are wonderful – every one of them. The staff quickly built a relationship with us, and I can see why he is so happy there. They know him, they take good care of him, and that makes all the difference.”
For Dawn, the time Syd spends at the Day Club is an opportunity to catch up on household tasks, gardening and rest. “It’s lovely having some time to restore myself – I know it benefits me as much as it does Syd,” she says. At first, she felt she needed to use the time to catch up on jobs, but she’s come to realise that rest is crucial for her wellbeing. “I’m not as fit and strong as I once was, so this time to myself is really important.”
Dawn has also found support within the community, as several residents from Pakuranga Park Village attend the Day Club. “Getting to know others in the same situation has been a huge help – just knowing you’re not the only one makes a difference.”
Dawn highly recommends the HBH Day Club. “Syd and I are both better off because of it. Thanks to the caring, kind, and thoughtful people at HBH, Syd has social interaction and support, and I have more energy to care for him. Thank you for providing this wonderful programme to our community – it has truly changed our lives.”