**4.1. Clients and caregivers**

The majority of clients were aged between 75 and 94 years (36% aged 75–84 years and 36% aged 85–94 years), were female and identified as New Zealand European. The over representation of female clients is consistent with New Zealand females living longer than males. One third of clients had been diagnosed with dementia for over 3 years, almost half diagnosed for 1–3 years, and the remainder for 1 year or less. Just over half of clients had received home support care for 1 year or more. Dementia impacted 'moderately' on one-half of clients and 'significantly' on one-third of clients.

The majority of clients lived with family/caregivers, while a few clients with early onset dementia lived on their own with home support services being an essential component of their ability to remain living independently. All clients had received a NASC assessment that allowed them to access government-funded services from Enliven and linked to goals in an agreed care plan. The majority of clients received Enliven home support services on a daily basis.

The objective of Enliven home services is to support clients to remain living in their own home for as long as possible and with the greatest amount of dignity and independence that their circumstances allow, and this goal was highly valued by clients, caregivers, staff and key stakeholders alike. While all parties recognised that dementia was a progressive illness; there was a strong desire for clients to be supported to live at home, as long as the primary caregiver/family was able to cope with the situation and the client's safety was not compromised.
