BUSINESS TRENDSETTER
Memory Loss The Memory Cafe of the Red River Valley Memory loss can be devastating for all parties involved. For the affected, life can become confusing and isolating. For their loved ones it often seems hopeless, but it doesn't have to be thanks to the Memory Cafe of the Red River Valley, the only place in the metro for members of the memory loss community to gather in a safe, welcoming environment.
T By the Numbers For the past two consecutive months, attendance has been just under 800. By the end of 2023, Kaul expects the Memory Cafe to host over 5,000 participants and guests!
"There is a lot of talk about inclusiveness these days, but up until now, those discussions haven't included people in the memory loss community," said Executive Director of the Memory Cafe Deb Kaul, who co-founded the organization due to her own parents dealing with memory disease. "There are thousands of people living with memory loss in Fargo-Moorhead. The fact that the Memory Cafe is here is so important for people's well-being and mental health. As a society, we often write people off who have dementia or Alzheimer's disease. But we're here to show how it is possible to fully live with this disease. We’re not sugar-coating the disease but we create many
moments of joy for our participants during every gathering. We have a lot of fun together!” The organization does this by allowing memory-impaired individuals and their loved ones to meet new friends and learn new skills. "It's not just for the people experiencing impairment," Kaul said. "It's also for their loved ones. If you come to Memory Cafe we will help equip you with the skills you need to truly be there for your loved one.” This is an extremely important aspect of the nonprofit according to Kaul
Memory Cafes were started by a psychiatrist in Holland in 1997. There is no connection between any of the memory cafes around the world though, every cafe is independently operated and funded.
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