How to Host an Alzheimer Café, with Gemma Jones

An Alzheimer Café is a post – diagnostic, group support and dementia education intervention, for people with dementia, their family carers. An AC is held monthly by a steering group, professionals and volunteers. It is held in a (safe) café – like environment, intended to be ‘low – threshold’ – safe to enter and attend.

During this 2-day course, participants have the opportunity to become familiar with the Alzheimer Café model and see its developments since 1997. Participants will be able to learn about the philosophy of, the structure, themes, content, and methods of the original “Alzheimer Café model”, as developed by Dr. Bere Miesen.

Alzheimer Café facilitators need knowledge to be comfortable functioning as role models. This includes understanding the variety of attitudes that people have to dementia, the ‘illness concept/ image’ of dementia, and coping styles to having dementia. Become familiar with the range of responses to having dementia and caring for someone with dementia.

This course rests on the belief that people with dementia can be positively affected by their family, friends, and the health and social care professionals and volunteers present at Alzheimer Café’s. People are social creatures who benefit from being mutually involved with each other.