Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
15 Jun 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
47
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
We are Jan and Marian. Dutch from origine, both over 60 years old, living in New Zealand since 2007. We are living in a traditional New Zealand homestead in the middle of our community, of nearly 2600m2. The property has a flower garden and vegetable patch, a large workshop and animals to take care for. Our dream came through, to prepare this place for visitors with mild Dementia, based on Dutch models of care.
This is a community-based day-care facility aiming to bring pride, joy and respect to people in their early stages of Dementia by inspiring and supporting them to use their skills in a homely, social environment.
We need your help maintaining the garden around the house and preparing arty - stuff in the workshop. We tend to offer two weeks in a row for a Workawayer to help us out. We try to use recycled materials when possible. Also, if you have great experience in making promotional videos, you could help us out?
We have a lovely Huntaway dog, Bella and a great bunch of chooks , some rabbits and 3 lovely Nigerian dwarf goats
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Outdoor activities
Art & design
Carpentry
Photography
Performing arts
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Events & social
Culture
Farming
Charity work
Plant care
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Animals
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are Dutch:) in New Zealand. The ‘model of care’ is based on the Dutch model of social approach for people with Dementia. The day visitors coming here, all have some sort of memory loss, are mobile and love to work in the kitchen, garden, workshop etc using their long learned skills, doing ordinary things and enjoy company. "You do not see the difference between the visitors and workers" and we hope to guide you along the way of 'de-stigmatising dementia', if you not already are aware of this.
We are fully imbedded in the New Zealand culture / community. You might meet interesting people of all kinds. We are nurses as well as artists in: Pallet/ wood art, painting, funky ideas. You can upgrade your garden and DIY skills, or show us yours.
You might be able to help us with PR material. Or making good pictures/ video's.
We are also grandparents of 6 ‘far away’. You might be open to see how we handle this to have good contact with our family oversees.
The base of all we are and do is our christian faith.
As you can read; certainly no dull moment here.
Help
Knowledge of gardening, or willing to learn, help with caring for the animals and DIY . We are open for ideas but we also need listeners. We are looking for experienced people in making promotional videos, who have skills to understand our passion behind our project. We work with people with memory loss, they will not be your responsibility, however you might learn a lot of people skills/ gain insight in watching us and our volunteers.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
German: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Open to learn more about the guest’s language / Culture
Accommodation
We have recently moved to a large property, semi rural, but only 1.4 km from the train station , with lot of land and there is a lot to do, to build and maintain the area.
You'll find out , it is a very busy life style here. We have one bedroom available in the house with use of your own toilet. Currently we can only have one person staying with us per time. We prefer you to stay for two weeks , so we can have a break of a week in-between for ourselves. The weekends are yours to explore the area.
We will supply your meals and you can use our washing machine. Wifi available, beach and shops nearby and nice walking tracks as well.
We are pretty regular with meal times and coffee / tea breaks and we normally enjoy them together. On the days we are having day-visitors we are all having cooked lunches together. This might be a cultural experience for you:)
What else ...
Good public transport to Wellington or upper North Island, the station is nearby. Good bicycle paths, great hiking tracks, 6 km from lovely beach, good for surfing nearby and Kapiti Island view. Lots of artists around. Bike available.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Wifi is available
Space for parking camper vans
We have a concrete slab near the house where a van can be parked
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
My animals / pets
Goats Nigerian dwarfs
Rabbits, New zealand whites
chickens
Bella
Very friendly Huntaway, she is always in to play.
Feedback (23)
Take care
Thanks again and I hope it all works out with the move!
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
Take care
Thanks again and I hope it all works out with the move!
Thank you so much for inviting me into your home and sharing your knowledge and experience helping your guests with dementia. I truly enjoyed helping with the projects and the socializing with you and them. I will miss the wonderful meals that Marian prepared and the teasing that went along with the days. I wish you the best at your… read more
What an enormous amount of work he has done for us. Jim is super good using the chainsaw and cutting down the left overs of our macrocarpa tree stumps. His knowledge of farming both agricultural as animals is phenomenal. He helped… read more
gentle and friendly individual, exuding great social manners. We
initially asked him to assist with some woodworking projects, and he
exceeded our expectations by doing so much more. On days when we had
visitors living with dementia, Aaron provided support in a way that made
everyone feel… read more
The couple has thought of everything, which might be a bit overwhelming at first :). However, I felt part of the family in no time, thanks to the heartwarming learning… read more
They have accepted me as a member of the family and interact with me with lots of smiles:))
My English is not good, but Jan, Marian, the volunteers and the visitors were all really kind and talked to me and taught me a lot.
I have so many wonderful memories of taking care of the chickens and rabbits with… read more
NB: Agnese is a jewel among the… read more
My tasks were mostly in the garden, which was a pleasure for me and I had a lot of fun, I… read more
Marja is not only a colleague nurse but also Dutch, meaning: no nonsense. Speaking the same language and getting the feedback from an experienced nurse was great. Marja became our dear friend and we miss her right hands, her insight in… read more
Thank you for the wonderful time ! You both make so many people happy, including me.
Besides helping in and around the house I had the chance, as a nurse with a background in elderly care, to be a part of the team that works a community-based day-care facility for people in their early stages of Dementia.
It was such a joy to… read more
but I think what I enjoy the most was to built some cage rat or house for bird !
I hope the place is a success and give Bella lots of pats for me.😊
Thanks for the nice two weeks. I felt at home. You are very dear people. I enjoyed working with you for two weeks. great project Opening Home 4 All with the lovely people who come to you is a great wonderful project. I thank you for the nice time.
I learnt a lot about Kiwi culture and met a lot of interesting people through the both. On my bike rides and hikes, with good advice from the locals, I discovered the Kapiti Coast and its sights.
At the place I had different tasks according to… read more
