WILBRAHAM — The Wilbraham Senior Center will be opening a memory café in September to support individuals in the surrounding communities impacted by memory loss through “a safe, supportive environment and social gathering,” the center said.
The space will be open to anyone, including individuals with any stage of memory loss, family members, friends and residents of nearby towns. The café will offer support, share resources, complete group activities and encourage socialization at no cost to attendees, Wilbraham Senior Center Social Service Coordinator Barbara Harrington told Reminder Publishing.
Meetings will start at once a month, hosted on the first Monday of each month with potentially two to three meetings a month depending on local interest, Harrington said. The first meeting will take place on Sept. 9. It will include a social hour to connect with other attendees and gauge the group’s interests.
“Memory loss is isolating,” Harrington said. “[The Wilbraham Senior Center memory café is] an opportunity to make friends without fear of embarrassment, share concerns and support themselves.” She went on to highlight that attending a memory café can give individuals struggling with memory loss a “sense of involvement” by helping them to connect with others and discuss similar experiences in a “relaxed and friendly environment.”
Harrington explained that there are other memory cafés in the area, noting organizations at the senior centers in Hampden and East Longmeadow. The centers each have their “own personalities,” which makes them attract and engage different people, she said.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an increase in families seeking resources and support services to assist with caring for loved ones with memory loss, Harrington stated.
In her 14 years of experience in social service, Harrington has “always wanted to [open a memory café,] she said, emphasizing the group’s focus on social connection. Yet, until the Wilbraham Senior Center’s new space opened in March, the center hadn’t had enough space.
Wilbraham’s café will not include formal workshops or support groups, instead focusing on providing resources and socialization, the center stated. Attending care partners are required for visitors who need personal care.
In addition to the memory café, the Wilbraham Senior Center will also be hosting a Virtual Dementia Tour on Sept. 24 to provide visitors with an opportunity to experience sensory triggers similar to dementia. The experience will be run by Director of Memory Support Services Heather Jagodowski of Benchmark Senior Living and will offer sessions at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the center, Harrington said.
For more information about the Wilbraham memory café or Virtual Dementia Tour, contact the Wilbraham Senior Center by phone at 413-596-8379. Information is also available on the center’s newsletter at wilbraham-ma.gov/203/Newsletter.
Residents interested in attending the Virtual Dementia Tour must call the center to sign up prior to the event.
