Whānau Māori living with dementia: will you look after your Koro or Kui?

By Mahi Tahi Media

“My advice for those dealing with family with dementia , I would say just to practice patience”

Ngahere Ngatai or ‘Nuz’ was born in Rotorua but has spent most of his life in Brisbane and has become a well-known face after featuring on shows like The GC and the Voice.

When his family left Aotearoa for Australia, Nuz’s grandparents came too and played a big role in his upbringing.

Now his Grandfather Harry or “Pups” is suffering from dementia and Nuz says it’s his turn to take on the role of caregiver.

He’s managed to get Harry a cult following on TikTok as Nuz posts a lot of what Harry gets up to on the social media platform, in part to help other whānau who may have a family member living with dementia .

According to the 2020 New Zealand Dementia Economic Impact Report, Māori are more likely to suffer from Dementia than non Māori.

This is part of our reo Māori series, Ohinga, created by Mahi Tahi Media, with funding from Te Māngai Pāho. Stay tuned for a new episode every week.

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