She began in Dubbo with Dementia Australia and then moved to Forbes to work at JRV. Krystyna described dementia as an umbrella term to describe a number of underlying problems.

For instance, aggression in dementia patients may not be caused by the disease but by other factors like the inability to convey an annoyance or pain. She added it is not that unusual for 30-40 year olds to show signs of the disease. Lifestyle may have a bearing on whether someone gets dementia because of diet and lack of exercise.

Early signs can include loss of memory, depression, intellect, rationality, social skills, physical functioning, personality changes (swearing) and withdrawl usually picked up by family members. Scans and blood tests are another way of diagnosis and medication may help.

An excellent turnout for this meeting with 43 members and four new members were inducted into membership. They were Bill Scott, John Gordon, Allen Duggan and John Whatmore. Because of time restraints only two of the four were able to give a five-minute rundown on their background.

Allen Duggan hails from Bondi Beach but he learnt quickly obviously as a youngster and attained two scholarships to attend NSW Uni and earned a law degree, becoming a solicitor in 1959. He married Christian and they raised three children.

In 2012 he was given Life Membership of the Law Society and intends to continue as a solicitor on at least a part time basis. John Whatmore also comes from Sydney at a tender age was sewing wheat bags at Tomingley and some mine work at Cobar.

He learnt farming skills too before setting off to Queensland but moving around finally got to Forbes in 1956 and married Clare and raised four children. On the tours front, Alan Toole advised that the Southern Highlands trip next march will cost $810 per person.