A retired engineer, who spent much of his career designing bridges and industrial machines in Australia, England and New Zealand, Mr Garrick (74) was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease seven years ago.
He first started noticing cognitive changes in his mid-50s, and notes that Alzheimer’s runs in his family — his mother had the condition and his younger sister also lives with it.
Dealing with dementia on a daily basis can be very frustrating, particularly for a man who has always been creative and good with his hands.
"Just doing handyman things can be difficult — I can’t always remember the details of how to go about doing a task," he said.
"The frustration of that can be tough to deal with."
So these days, life is simpler than it once was, but with
the cheerful support of his
wife Adrienne Henderson
and son Brett, and the constant companionship of 4-year-old huntaway Mocha, Mr Garrick
is managing well.
Man and dog go for daily walks, heading up the hill from the couple’s Wakari home to a park where Mocha loves to run and play.
"Having her with me gives me confidence, and is great for encouraging me to get out and exercise and have fun.
"I think I would have been prone to getting lost more without her — I’m sure she could find the way home for both of us if she needed to."
Ms Henderson is deputy chairwoman of the board of Alzheimers Otago, and helps her husband out around the house with constant communication and written reminders of daily tasks through strategically placed lists.
"Bob doesn’t need much looking after — he is fairly independent," she said.
"It is just important to help him to remember what is happening each day, such as when I’m going out, where to and when I will be back.
"I also ring and check on him when I’m not home — I tend to stay in touch more that you normally would."
Ms Henderson is also working on a "rogues’ gallery" of family and friends, to help her husband with remembering their faces and names.
When Mr Garrick was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the couple decided they would be open and honest about it from the start, and people’s reactions had been "very good", she said.
"It’s not Bob’s fault — this is something that just happens to people.
"And, apart from needing to plan and think ahead a bit more, nothing much has changed for us."
