Mags GarganMags Gargan talks to people involved in the Alzheimer Cafe initiative
Sharing a cup of tea is one of the great rituals of Irish society. Tea is our way of offering hospitality, of socialising and of giving comfort in times of distress. So what better way to offer information, comfort and support to people with dementia and their families than over a pot of tea in an Alzheimer Cafe?
The first Alzheimer Cafe was started in 1997 in the Netherlands by Dr Bere Miesen. He was frustrated that health and social care students were not taught more about the invisible or emotional aspects of having and living with dementia. He decided to try to change this and invited people he knew, and anyone else interested, to attend the first Alzheimer Cafe at the University of Leiden. Since then, the concept has been developed and spread throughout a number of countries, including Ireland.
The first Irish Alzheimer Cafe was set up in Donnybrook, Dublin, in 2012. There are now 13 such cafes around the country in Dublin, Kildare, Sligo, Wexford, Tipperary, Cork, Carlow, Kilkenny, Meath and Wicklow. The newest cafe was set up in Dublin by the Dominican Sisters in Santa Sabina House, on the grounds of the Dominican campus on the Navan Road. It opened in November and will run on the first Thursday of every month from 7 to 9pm.
Sr Edel Murphy OP, whose mother has Alzheimer’s, heads the committee which established the new Alzheimer Cafe in Cabra. “We are delighted to launch this new cafe for the people of Cabra and the surrounding area so that they can benefit from practical support and assistance in facing dementia together,” she says.
“My mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2005 and there was nowhere to ask for information at that time. In 2012 I saw an ad for the cafe in Donnybrook and I found it very supportive. I met other families going through the same thing and we could speak about it in an open and safe place. People with the illness could contribute to the conversation and it is enlightening to share with others the different things that can help or express fears and concerns,” Sr Edel explains.
The Alzheimer Cafe is an unusual type of support group, as it combines information and support with an opportunity to socialise in an informal cafe environment. The cafes are designed to be places of welcome, where you will find tables offering tea in china cups and plates of cakes in a friendly community atmosphere.
Emphasis
The service enables families who are experiencing dementia to receive valuable information and stay connected. There is an emphasis on the emotional and psychosocial rather than the medical aspects of dementia, and it is a forum where people can share experiences and talk about dementia. But the cafes are also attended by healthcare professionals who offer a presentation on different issues relating to dementia.
“This is an upsetting time. People can feel very lonely and isolated, and they are grieving,” says Sr Edel. “The Alzheimer Cafe offers an environment where you can talk to someone. You can share that you are feeling guilty or stressed, and it is also a good opportunity for medical professionals and people running care homes to hear what families worry about.”
Fair City star Rose Henderson, who plays Val in the popular soap, officially launched the new cafe. Her father has Alzheimer’s and she has attended the first Alzheimer Cafe established in Donnybrook.
“As my father’s fulltime carer, it was really my mum who needed the support at the time,” she says. “I heard about the Alzheimer Cafe in Donnybrook and went on my own at first to see what it was like. I had a lot of questions and they were very good at offering suggestions. I thought it was a terrific resource and I highly recommend it.
“The Alzheimer Cafe is a wonderful place to learn things, meet people, and make friends. But there is also a sense of anonymity if you just want to sit down, have a cup of tea and a chat.”
There are an estimated 48,000 people with dementia in Ireland, and that number is expected to soar to 140,000 by 2040. The Alzheimer Cafe model encourages other interested groups to set up a cafe in their area. The service is free of charge and relies on the support of volunteers to run cafes.
Invaluable
“The several hundred families who have attended our Alzheimer Cafe say it’s an invaluable resource, support and social outlet at a very difficult time in their lives,” says Sinead Grennan, founder of the Alzheimer Cafe in Ireland, and CEO of Sonas.
“The talks give practical advice on issues like dealing with a diagnosis, how and where to go for help and advice on how to live well with dementia. Plans are now under way to set up a national network of Alzheimer Cafes, so that we can link in with each other and support new groups wishing to set one up in their locality.”
According to Gerry Martin, CEO with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the cafes are a very important resource for people living with dementia to have in their local community.
“These cafes offer a warm and welcoming space for people with dementia along with their family and friends to meet and share experiences, learnings or just have a chat. The popularity of the Alzheimer Cafe model is evident by the numbers in which they are growing all around the country,” he says.
For more information see www.alzheimercafe.ie