Memory cafés are popping up across the country. Often
located in central community locations—coffee houses, libraries and houses of
faith, to name a few—memory cafés offer a welcoming, safe, supportive, engaging
environment for people with dementia and caregivers alike. People attending
memory cafés benefit from conversation and shared activities with individuals
who are sharing their experience, in social and accepting settings.
While a Memory Cafe is beneficial for those living
with dementia, it is also beneficial for their caregivers as well. It is not a
place to “drop off” your loved one for a while, but a way to enjoy activities
with them as a break from the normal routine that you share.
A Memory Cafe is a safe
and comfortable space where caregivers and their loved ones can socialize,
listen to music, play games, and enjoy other appropriate activities. They
provide mutual support and exchange information. This by itself is valuable if
for nothing more than to obtain information about additional resources. We have
a great Café in Corpus at the Lindale Senior Center started by Karen Creekmore!
They can simply enjoy the
company of those with similar things in common.
With
roots in the Netherlands, Dr. Bere Miesen, a Dutch psychiatrist introduced the
Memory Cafe concept in 1997 as a way to break through the stigma associated
with various forms of Dementia.
To
respond to health officials' recommendations of "social distancing" and
in a growing number of cases, "shelter in place" orders, Memory Café Directory
has created a "Café Connect" section. This will allow Memory Cafes to
list their online and telephone conference offerings as they become available. The
Coronavirus is a great concern to us all. The number of confirmed cases of the
new coronavirus in the U.S. was 43,667 as of Monday 3/24/20
evening, according to Johns Hopkins. The number of confirmed dementia
cases in the U.S. is 5.8 MILLION.
That is so wonderful that the Memory Cafes are still going strong!
ReplyDeleteAs a reminder Our local Memory Cafe(for those living with Dementia)is not meeting @ Lindale Senior until further notice. We are currently making arrangements to meet via teleconferencing and will get back with details. Thanks & stay safe! ����
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