MEMBER STORIES
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA: THE LANTERN MEMORY CAFÉ
Great things are done by a series of small things brought together – Van Gogh.
M
emory cafés provide innovative community support for people living with dementia, offering community engagement in times of change.
The Lantern Memory Café in Michelton in Brisbane’s north-west is an example of this. From a shared value base and professional relationship between Centacare and Churches of Christ, a passionate desire to create a dementia-friendly community emerged.
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Driven by a desire to break down barriers to create a more inclusive, understanding and supportive environment for people living with dementia—and with flow on effects for wider society—this café on the Churches of Christ campus in Mitchelton was the first of its kind to be created in Brisbane. The initiative has engaged people with dementia and advocates from the outset. Having opened in November last year, 12 months on the café is proving a hit.