Greer Rontaunay

why i chose this

When I first stepped into aged care work, I didn’t fully understand what it meant to care for someone living with dementia. I knew the clinical side of Dementia, but not the human reality — how deeply it affects both the person and their loved ones.

My first real experience was in an aged care home, where I met a resident who would greet me every day like he had known me forever. Some days he would share stories about his children, and other days he would ask when he was going home. At first, I felt unsure how to respond — I wanted to correct him, to bring him back to reality. But I quickly learned that connection mattered far more than correction.

What stayed with me most wasn’t the memory loss, but the emotion behind it — the need for comfort, familiarity, and kindness. Even when words didn’t match the moment, the feelings were real. A calm voice, a gentle hand, and simple presence could mean everything.

That experience changed the way I saw care. It’s not just about routines or tasks, but about patience, dignity, and meeting people where they are. It also opened my eyes to the impact on families — the way they grieve in small moments as memories slowly change.

This is why fundraising for dementia support means so much to me. It’s about improving care, supporting families, and ensuring people living with dementia are treated with understanding and respect.

I think back to that first resident often. He taught me more than I realised at the time, and he’s the reason I care so deeply about this work today.

I'm making the impossible, possible, by taking part in Australia's Walk & Jog Challenge to raise much needed funds for dementia research.

I’m taking part in Australia's Walk & Jog Challenge by committing to raise much needed funds to support people impacted by dementia.

But I need your help! Please make a donation to support my efforts and help me to make the impossible, possible.

My fundraising will help support the work of Dementia Australia Research Foundation, funding innovative Australian research into dementia causes, diagnosis, treatment and one day a cure.

Did you know that in 2024 about 425,000 Australians were living with dementia? I hope to be able to make a difference and show my support for those who have/ are living with loved ones affected. 

Thank you for your support.