Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Memory Cafes: Hanging Out in a Judgment Free Zone -- with Good Coffee
On yesterday's ride over the Blue Mountains between my Law School's campus in Carlisle and the campus in State College, I caught a great public radio program, interviewing folks at a "Memory Cafe."
As anyone involved in care for a person with dementia knows, especially those who are "stuck" at home, it can be a challenge. Both the caregiver and the cared-for person could use a good break now and then.
That's where the concept of Memory Cafes come in -- a place where folks won't judge about how Alzheimer's or similar cognitive impairments might affect the ability to have a traditional conversation. Where canes and walkers are welcome. A place that is warm and friendly. Where people understand -- and can share a laugh, along with good coffee.
From Wisconsin Public Radio, here's a bit of history and a description of a cafe in Appleton, Wisconsin:
“'Memory Cafes' got their start in the Netherlands and are common now both there and in England. They are 'judgment-free zones' for people with mild dementia or memory loss.
About a dozen people gathered last week at a cafe session at a coffee shop in Appleton. John McFadden is a co-coordinator of the memory cafe and plays the ukulele to welcome participants. Betty Ann Nelson came with her husband, Duane. The Nelsons have been married 58 years and have attended several cafe sessions since they began earlier this year."
Some sessions might involve activities, such as a program called "Time Slips" where participants pass around amusing photos and are invited to tell the story. One photo showed nuns on bumper cars at an amusement park, leading a customer to describe them as "Holy Rollers."
For more on the concept, follow the links on Wisconsin Public Radio to listen to this radio account.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/elder_law/2013/10/memory-cafes-hanging-out-in-a-judgment-free-zone-with-good-coffee.html
