Awards 2014

Mrs Helen Gabel - Coconut Grove NT 

Helen is a 72 year old lady who lives with dementia on a daily basis but never-the¬less, she is a tireless volunteer at Alzheimer's Australia NT.

Helen devotes time to the Art Social Group every second Tuesday in each month where she runs the Art Program with some very imaginative projects. She works hard to ensure the projects are achievable by all levels of clientele. At times during the project when others are in need of assistance, Helen will attend to them rather than

participate in the course herself. And Helen always organises the morning tea which is welcomed by all of the group.

Helen is also actively involved in the Health and Wellbeing sessions, the Memory Matters program and the Friday Gardening Project. Again, she is there to help clients who need extra help and of course provides the morning tea. Her participation in the Gardening Program as it involves clients, is wonderful. She is always there to help. Helen has also had a lot of input into the design and establishment of our Memory Garden. She has a passion for gardening and is tirelessly cultivating and potting new plants for the Centre without ever asking for anything in return.

She has also knitted many Trauma Bears for the Ambulances and has keenly encouraged others who show an interest, to use and share the knitting pattern.

Helen is a wonderful person. She makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable at all sessions and takes the time to talk personally to every member of the group. She is kind, gentle and extremely understanding in her approach to everyone.

In the past she has been a carer and still maintains contact with some of those people she has cared for.

Helen is a most deserving recipient of a Senior Of Excellence Award