Memory Cafes - An antidote for caregiving routines

Written by Sharon Kegerreis, Chelsea Senior Center staff

Singing along to Woodie Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land, arranging fresh-cut dahlias, painting wood cu touts, or drumming to a fun beat may ignite recall of a fa vorite memory. Poignant moments are important to all of us For caregivers and their loved ones navigating cogn itive changes, these moments are especially important. Memory Cafes provide low stress, safe, casual opportunities to share moments like these.

Chelsea Senior Center’s Connections Memory Café is one of the free Memory Café offerings in the 5 Heal thy Towns communities thanks to a grant from the 5 Heal thy Towns Foundation. Every first Wednesday of the mont h, CSC hosts its Connections Memory Café for caregiver s and their loved ones. Sharing a hot lunch made by someone else and casually connecting with others experiencing similar life changes are key component s. In addition to a meal, each Connections Memory Café offers a unique hands-on experience, sometimes influenced by holidays or seasonal changes.

Sometimes, leaving the house to change routines is all that is needed to feel a little relief from the heavy responsibility of caring for a loved one with memory loss. Increased stress and anxiety are common among care partners enduring these life changes, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“Watching the dynamic change from caregiver and care recipient back to partners who still enjoy each other’s company is a powerful sight to witness,” says Jennifer Smith, Executive Director of Chelsea Senior Center. “Our Connections Memory Café is an essential part of our focus on caregivers. The hope is that caregivers and loved ones feel nurtured and safe enough to engage in ways that often get lost in daily routines. Doing normal, fun activities, together in a social setting is important for partners navigating memory changes. It reduces isolation and sends the message to society that living doesn’t stop with a diagnosis.” Memory Cafés are for care partners to attend together for social connections and share purposeful experiences. They are not a drop-off care program like Chelsea Senior Center’s Ease the Day Adult Day Program.

As the senior population grows, so does the need for nurturing spaces. Memory Cafés are a social solution that is welcoming and accessible to all and free to attend.