5th Dementia Friendly Café Opens
The dementia friendly cafés were established in 2015 and this month the Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Community Charity celebrates their fifth site opening. Elaine Murray, Community Ambassador at The Good Care Group, is also the Chair Trustee of the Charity and co-founder of the Forget-me-not café’s and the Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Community.
The Forget-me-not cafés provide ‘companionship over a cuppa’ for those living with memory loss or dementia. The cafés provide meaningful activities, peer support and a safe place for people to make new friends and share their experiences. Patrons’ families and friends are also welcome to enjoy the community spaces, creating shared experiences and topics for reminiscing. The café understands that feelings are more valuable than facts and that the relaxed café atmosphere improves the wellbeing of its clients and families.
Here are some testimonials illustrating how the café’s have helped;
“My mother has been to several groups in the past and never wanted to go back. She said that the Forget-me-notes singing group is the only group she looks forward to; she is visibly excited when I remind her where we are going and makes extra effort to look nice for her friends.”
“Dad was shopping with his carer when they stopped for a coffee. Dad went up to a table of people and sat down with them. Dad and the gentleman in the other party started to chat and it turned out that they both attended a Forget-me-not café every month. Both families sat together and had coffee, it was such a positive interaction and patron B had recognised his friend Patron C. This is priceless as they were strangers 6 month earlier and two families now have peer support.”
The Forget-me-not cafés hold a variety of events and activities throughout the year, including entertainers, local choirs, exercise through dance, interesting talks and demonstrations such as National Trust Historical and Wildlife trust, advice from CAB’s, police and fire rescue teams.
The Good Care Group supports Elaine in her Community Ambassador role to spread the word about good practice within the care sector, and have also sponsored some events and merchandise historically. As a leading live-in care provider, The Good Care Group champion improved health outcomes for clients and best practice within the delivery of care. Spreading this message through the community is the best way to ensure people have an understanding of what care options are available to them and help them make informed choices.
The Good Care Group would like to congratulate Elaine on the 5th Forget-on-not café.
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