Arthritis– Whangarei20plussupport group

Pr om o ti ng Ab i l it ie s

Whangarei 20 plus support group

Agroupfor peopleofallageswithany formofarthritis.That’s thepurpose ofthissupportgroupfor peoplewith arthritiswholiveinWhangarei.

Thename saysitallandreflectsthat arthritis affectsallages. It is nota conditionthatonly affectstheelderly. It canaffect thoseintheir 20sasmuchasthose in their70s.Infact, in New Zealand, halfofthepeoplewhohave arthritisare of workingage.Childrenand teenagerscan alsohave arthritis.

Arthritisisa majorhealthissueand aleading causeofdisabilitythatcoststhe country $12 billionevery year (figure from 2018).It’s not “just a bitofarthritis” as we hear alltoo often–itisa seriousandpainfulconditionthat canbe debilitatingandcausesignificantdisability for thosesufferingfrom it.

Thereare more than140 differentforms ofarthritis;themost commoninNew Zealandare osteoarthritis, goutarthritis and rheumatoidarthritis.

Oneofthebestwaystosupportpeople witharthritisistoconnect themwithothers whoare experiencingthesamepressuresand challenges,andthat is whythe20plusgroupin Whangareiissucha success.Thegroup’sfocus istoprovidesupportandshare experiencesnot just theproblemsbutalsothesuccesses andachievements of members.

Thissharingcan covera range of issuesand challenges, andmembersbenefitsignificantly fromtheexperience of othersand the informationthegroup canprovide.Discussion isstimulatingandcan be controversial as membersshare their copingmechanisms and the barrierstheyare workingtodemolish. Discussions canrange from accessing medicinalcannabis,healthcareservicesin Whangarei,homesupportservices to useful equipmentthat helps make life a littleeasier for peoplewitharthritis.

Anotherimportantpartofthegroup is sharingthe circumstancesand pressures peoplefeelinmanagingeveryday lifeand family. Members find thissharingsucha beneficialfeature of thegroup- members have a wide rangeofexperience and expertiseandknowthelocal community very well.

Everybodyiswelcometocomealongto thegroup, whichmeetsonthe first Saturday ofthemonthattheNazareneChurchonthe cornerofNixonandPrincesStreets.You canbe assuredofa warmwelcomeandanexcellent opportunitytomeet otherswitharthritisand learnfromthem.

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