NEO Notes
NEO Notes By Zandra Vaccarino
Page 20
Kia Ora, I don’t think any of us imagined that 2021 would be another year shaped by a global pandemic and that once again we would need to navigate how to live and work through 1pm news updates, mask wearing, lockdowns, restrictions, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, the introduction of the traffic light system, the breaking news of Omicron, roll-out of vaccines for tamariki aged 5 to 11 from January 2022, and the shortening of the booster shot jab from six months to four months. Things are constantly changing, so we have all had to learn to adapt to constantly shifting plans and this has included the NZDSA. The NZDSA has spent 2021 with plans in flux and we had to pivot to find novel ways to continue to achieve the NZDSA’s strategic goals whilst meeting the needs of our community. We have embraced technology to connect our community and we have hosted many online meetings and social gatherings. These included the Big Connect to mark World Down Syndrome Day, STRIVE’s Supper Club, the Cocktail Hour, the Coffee
Club gatherings throughout September, and NZDSA’s Virtual Conference to mark Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. The NZDSA’s Virtual Conference was an exceptional event, with 34 speakers over 2,748 minutes spread over 22 events. If you were not one of the 700 participants, then you still have the opportunity to view some recorded events which you can access on the NZDSA website. In the last quarter, the NZDSA has also focussed on the development of a number of new resources. The first digital resource launched in October was The Golden Years, Ageing and Down syndrome. This is an invaluable resource presented by the expert Geraldine Whatnell, Nurse Practitioner Mental Health and Addictions Service at Palmerston North Hospital. It provides a detailed overview of the older person with Down syndrome and includes how ageing may affect their health and wellbeing, as well as supports they may need if they are diagnosed with dementia. This resource is available on the NZDSA website.
