Dementia Cafés
Why have Dementia Café.?
There are a number of models for providing
practical information, emotional and social support, including specialist
education based support programmes, specialist day centre provision and Alzheimer’s
or dementia cafés.
Dementia cafés have evolved from
(the patented) Alzheimer’s Café and Alzheimer’s Café
UK concepts.
The first café opened its doors in 1997 in the Netherlands and the first one in the UK was held in 2000 by the Blackwater Valley branch of Alzheimer’s Society.
In addition, good practice indicates
that generic dementia cafés should follow the same aims and principles.
The cafés are not merely a social
get-together in a café-style environment, but rather the careful combination
and structuring of low-level intervention of information, knowledge and support
offered within an informal and understanding environment.
The café is facilitated by a skilled
facilitator and can be thought of as a type of guided self-help group.
Persons with dementia are the focal point
of the café talks and discussions. The underlying assumption is that
once the illness can be named and discussed in the presence of all affected,
some of the denial, secrecy and pain surrounding this is lessened.
This in turn creates scope for new interactions
and adaptations to live with the illness and not to be left with the feeling
of being alone but in common with the many others also present at the café.
What is the Aim.?
The facilitation of open discussion of
the diagnosis of dementia and its consequences in an informal, social environment
in the presence of and supported by peers (people with dementia, their carers
and families).
The provision of practical information
provided by a range of sources in a structured social setting that provides
opportunities for people with dementia, their families and carers to ask questions
and learn from the experience of peers.
Where are the Dementia Café.?
Currently, there are 5 cafés running
and they are being held in Ashford, Maidstone, Sevenoaks,
Canterbury and Whitstable.
Times and locations are listed below:
Ashford
Willesborough Baptist Church, Hythe Road, Ashford, TN24 0QR
10.30am until 12.30pm
Last Thursday of every month
Maidstone
Holy Family Church Hall, Bicknor Road, Park Wood, Maidstone, ME15 9PS
2pm until 4pm
Last Wednesday of every month
Sevenoaks
Age Concern
Hollybush Court Day Centre, Hollybush Close, TN13 3UX
3pm until 5pm
Fortnightly, 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
Please Note: From January 2012 the
above café will be held at:
The Lodge Café, Stag Theatre, London Road, Sevenoaks,
TN13 1ZZ
1pm until 3pm
Alternate Tuesdays from:
24th January 2012
7th and 21st February 2012
7th and 21st March 2012
Canterbury
For more information on any of the above cafés, please
contact Kate Sergeant on 01732 370 330 or 07584 503 747 or email kate.sergeant@alzheimers.org.uk
or parklodge@alzheimers.org.uk
We at Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Support Services are intending to run an exciting (FREE)
monthly Dementia Cafés for people who have dementia and their carers.
A Dementia Café is an informal
meeting place for people who have dementia, their family, carers and other
interested parties. It is a place to provide practical information together
with emotional and social support. It has the benefits of being all inclusive,
informative, and a self-help type of support group. Above all, a dementia
café helps us all to look at how we can live well with dementia and
be part of a community. We hope the Café will help carers
and the cared for person feel less isolated through peer support. We also
hope to provide specialist information and guidance by inviting health and
social care professionals along. The sessions will be informative and also
enjoyable, a place to relax with others who understand what dementia is and
how it affects a person. The Café will be open one afternoon
each month. There will be a programme that starts with some form of presentation
(either a DVD, or a talk, or an interview with a professional), followed by
an informal discussion and time for light refreshments with some entertainment.
Locations and dates are as follows:
In Swanley at White
Oak Court, Sycamore Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7WF on a Friday afternoon from
2pm to 4pm. If you are a person who
has dementia, or you are carer, we would like to invite you to join us in
the new venture. Places are limited and will be allocated on a ‘first
come’ basis. Rock Sturt
St. Stephens's Community Centre, Ternterden Drive, Canterbury, CT2 7BN
10am until 12pm
Monthly, 3rd Friday of each month
Whitstable
Whitstable Health Centre, Harbour Street, Whitstable, CT5 1BZ
2pm until 4pm
Fortnightly, 1st and 3rd Friday of each month
All cafés are a drop-in service, and there is
no need to let us know in advance of your wish to attend; feel free to simply
turn up on the day!
Alzheimer's & Dementia Support
Services Dementia Cafés (ADSS)
What is a Dementia Café?
• 10th February 2012
• 9th March 2012
• 13th April 2012
In Dartford at the Conservative Club, 46 Spital
Street, Dartford, DA1 2DT on a Wednesday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm.
• 15th February 2012
• 21st March 2012
• 18th April 2012
• 16th May 2012
• 20th June 2012
In Gravesend at the Emmanuel Baptist Church
Hall, Windmill Steet, Gravesend, DA12 1BB on a Wednesday afternoon from 2pm
to 4pm.
The dates of these meetings will be held on:
• 22nd February 2012
• 28th March 2012
• 25th April 2012
• 23rd May 2012
• 27th June 2012
For more information about future meetings, please contact:
Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Services
Basement Flat
Dene Holm House
Dene Holm Road
Northfleet, Kent
DA11 8JY
Tel: 01474 533 990
Email: rock.sturt@alz-dem.org
For more information about using the DementiaWeb Kent
and Medway site go to Help.
Last updated: 25th January 2012