Dementia — including Alzheimer's disease — is New Zealand's largest and fastest-growing disability. More than 70,000 New Zealanders currently live with dementia, with numbers projected to triple by 2050. Grants fund community services, carer support, memory clinics, respite care, and research. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Alzheimers NZ is the national dementia organisation:
- Member societies: Regional Alzheimers NZ societies providing direct support
- Community education: Public dementia awareness
- Policy advocacy: Dementia care funding advocacy
- Research: Dementia research investment
- Carer support: Resources and training for family carers
Contact your local Alzheimers NZ society for regional funding pathways.
Health system dementia funding:
- Memory clinics: Diagnostic assessment and early support
- Neuropsychology: Dementia assessment and management
- Community health: Home support and community nursing
- Residential care subsidies: Residential care means-tested subsidies
- Respite care: DHB-funded respite for carers
Ministry of Health funds aged care including dementia:
- Residential care funding: Subsidised aged care beds
- Home and community support: NASC assessment and funded services
- Dementia carers: Carer training and support
- Dementia strategy: National dementia action
Gaming trusts fund dementia community services:
- Four Winds Foundation: Aged care and dementia community services
- Grassroots Trust: Community health including dementia support
- Pub Charity: Aged care and community health
- Lion Foundation: Community health
Gaming trust dementia applications:
- Carer support groups and resources
- Dementia-friendly activities and programmes
- Respite care events
- Day activity programmes for people with dementia
- Staff training for dementia care
Lottery Community Wellbeing: Dementia community services and aged care.
Regional community trusts fund dementia:
- Community trusts: Dementia community services in each region
- Auckland Community Trust: Auckland dementia services
- Regional foundations: Dementia support and research
Specific dementia funding areas:
- Respite care: Short-term break for family carers
- Day programmes: Structured activities for people with dementia
- Carer training: Education for family carers
- Dementia-friendly communities: Public awareness and inclusion
- Young onset dementia: Support for people under 65 with dementia
Kaupapa Māori aged care:
- Te Puni Kōkiri: Māori aged care and dementia
- Whānau Ora: Whānau-centred dementia support
- Māori providers: Kaupapa Māori aged care services
Dementia research:
- Health Research Council (HRC): Dementia and neuroscience research
- Alzheimers NZ research grants: Applied dementia research
- University neuroscience: Alzheimers and cognitive science
- International collaboration: NZ dementia research in global trials
Assistive technology:
- GPS tracking: Safety for people who wander
- Medication management: Automated dispensers
- Communication aids: Tools for people with communication difficulty
- Sensor technology: Home monitoring for safety
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Population served: People with dementia and family carers by age and setting
- Carer wellbeing: Respite, training, and support reducing carer burden
- Independence: Enabling people to live at home longer
- Dementia-friendly: Community inclusion for people with dementia
- Equity: Māori and Pacific dementia access
- Evidence-based care: Non-pharmacological interventions
- Residential care: Quality improvement in aged care settings
- Family connection: Maintaining relationships and quality of life
Tahua's grants management platform helps dementia and aged care organisations manage grant applications across Alzheimers NZ, Te Whatu Ora, gaming trusts, aged care funders, and community trusts, tracking carer support, community services, and dementia care outcomes.