“They say that with Alzheimer’s, what will get me is pneumonia. Now, with all that you have done to warm our home, I have a better chance to live longer, to be around my moko and my family.”
Last year Annette was diagnosed with Alzheimers, while her husband Kiri severely damaged his hand in an accident and their eight month old moko (granddaughter) came to live with them. In the space of one year, their lives had completely changed.
Kiri and Annette moved to Aotea Great Barrier more than 20 years ago, hoping for a better life for their young children. They bought a shed and did bits and pieces to it as the kids got older and whānau got bigger. However, after the year that they had, they couldn’t keep up with repairs. Without proper insulation and roofing, and only an outdoor bathroom, the home was cold, damp and unsafe.
Since Habitat Northern started the repairs on their house, Kiri said, “Things have just kept going up. You just say wow, there’s some people out there that do actually care, it’s just been magic.” By installing insulation, making their bathroom safer and accessible, installing lights and connecting their home to solar power they feel healthier, safer and more stable in their home.
“Our kids now have a place, thanks to you guys, that they can always come back to,” said Annette.
