Gift a storybook and help Kiwis living with dementia.

Over 70,000 Kiwis are living with dementia. For young children, seeing a loved one go through something they don’t understand can be a confusing experience. 

That’s why we’ve partnered with Kiwi author Renata Hopkins and illustrator Paul Beavis to bring you ‘Detective Luka and the Great Memory Mystery’, a storybook aimed at helping Children better understand dementia.

By donating today, copies of the book will be gifted to families with children, who are living with a recent dementia diagnosis.

About Alzheimers NZ

Alzheimers NZ represents people living with dementia at a national level by raising awareness, providing information and resources, advocating for high quality services, and promoting research about prevention, treatment, cure and care. We also support local Alzheimers NZ organisations throughout New Zealand who provide support, education, information and related services directly to members of their communities who are affected by dementia. Learn more.

© 2022 Alzheimers NZ. All Rights Reserved.

Why a storybook?

Disclaimer: We are committed to protecting your privacy. We will only deal with your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act and our privacy policy. Data may be given to third parties who work for Alzheimers NZ for fundraising purposes.

"Detective Luka opened the notebook and began to write. He was on the case."

The story follows a young boy, Luka, and his grandmother, who often get into trouble because of their forgetfulness. The story ingeniously traverses the subtle parallels and wide discrepancies that children draw between their own everyday forgetfulness and that of someone they love, who possibly has a new dementia diagnosis. Authored by Renata Hopkins and beautifully illustrated by Paul Beavis, it is a real page-turner that helps children relate to their experience of living with a dementia diagnosis in the family. 

Four out of five New Zealanders know or have known someone living with dementia¹, and supporting people, especially young people, on how to navigate a dementia diagnosis in the family is much needed.

¹ https://alzheimers.org.nz/explore/facts-and-figures/

Pre-order your copy of Detective Luka and the Great Memory Mystery

Each purchase will gift an additional book to newly diagnosed whānau with children

Loving a grandparent who is living with dementia can often be a confusing time for children. Which is why it's important to help children navigate that experience in ways they can easily understand and relate to. With 'Detective Luka and the Great Memory Mystery', we use the power of storytelling to help children become more understanding and comfortable with the changing circumstances of their families as a result of a dementia diagnosis.

By gifting a storybook, you're:

🧡 Making children's personal experiences relatable and         accepted through characters and scenarios that are           close to them.

🧡 Helping children understand the behavioural             
      changes their loved one with dementia is going 
      through.

🧡 Validating the insecurities and confusion children go 
      through after a diagnosis in the family.

🧡 Helping parents understand from the perspective of 
      their children.

🧡 Letting these families know that their 
      community cares about them and wants to help.

🧡 Making children's personal
      experiences relatable and              
      accepted through characters and 
      scenarios that are close to them.

🧡 Helping children understand the 
      behavioural changes their loved 
      one with dementia is going 
      through.

🧡 Validating the insecurities and 
      confusion children go through      
      after a diagnosis in the family.

🧡 Helping parents understand from 
      the perspective of their children.

🧡 Letting these families know that 
      their community cares about them 
      and wants to help.