It is now nearly 18 months since the first Memory Café in Oxfordshire took place. Based on a model developed by the Alzheimer’s Society, and being used across the country, the Memory Café offers an informal setting for patients affected by memory problems and their family members and carers to access support and information about local dementia services. The Memory Cafés are run and financed by the Alzheimer’s Society with support from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire County Council and provides people an opportunity to meet regularly with other people in similar situations. It is hoped that attendees will be able to make friendships locally as a result of meeting at the café and therefore be able to provide support to one another outside of the café setting.

The cafés takes place on a monthly basis and offers people the chance to chat informally, and have fun, as well as being able to provide practical support for family members and carers coping with the stressors dementia and other memory problems present. It is hoped that the café will also help to reduce stigma that surrounds dementia and will provide information about dementia from those have the condition, as well as those close to them. The café is held in a relaxed communal setting and the multi-agency participation promotes a seamless service.

This is a new resource open to people with dementia who may not be receiving input from other services, and feedback from users has demonstrated how important and valuable this service is to them. One regular attendee told us “We come here once a month as it is an outing/venue we all enjoy. If we have any questions/queries there is always someone to answer and point us in the right direction”

The café is staffed by volunteers whose support is vital to the continuing success of the project. Professionals attend on an informal basis with other services attending if participants request them.

There is a café meeting at the Peachcroft Centre in Abingdon on the last Wednesday of the month from 14.00 – 16.00 and one in Didcot on the third Tuesday of the month from 14.00 – 16.00 at Hanover Court, Craven Way. No pre-booking is necessary and new attendees are always welcome.