Turning of the Sod - 21 Ridout Street, Maeroa, Kirikiriroa

Māori-led dementia respite care centre breaks new ground in Waikato 

On Tuesday 24 March, we marked a significant milestone in the Te Hauora Mahara initiative with the turning of the soil for the first Te Whare Mahara wellness centre, led by Te Kōhao Health.

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He tīmatanga tēnei – this is just the beginning.

More than the start of a build, this moment reflected a shared commitment to supporting whānau affected by mate wareware in ways that are culturally grounded, holistic and community led. Mana whenua, Ngāti Mahuta, led the ceremony alongside Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon and Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu, blessing the site and the kaupapa at 21 Ridout Street.

Developed in partnership with The Selwyn Foundation, Te Whare Mahara will be the first kaupapa Māori day centre of its kind — designed by Māori, for Māori. It will provide a non-clinical, whānau-centred space where kaumātua can receive daytime support grounded in te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga Māori framework.

Designed to feel like a home rather than a hospital, the whare will offer safe, familiar care for kaumātua, while providing much-needed respite for whānau. As Te Kōhao Health Managing Director Lady Tureiti Moxon shared, many whānau carry the responsibility of care with love — this kaupapa ensures they also have the opportunity to rest and restore. This is just the beginning. Te Whare Mahara in Kirikiriroa is the first of several centres planned as part of a wider network of support for kaumātua living with mate wareware and their whānau across Aotearoa.