LCS Northwest Program Assistant Linda McCone and Elmer’s Restaurant Manager Dylan Odom are promoting the first Pierce County Memory Café that will be Wednesday, Jan. 27 starting at 3 p.m. at Elmer’s. The café is a great social opportunity for people at all stages of dementia and their care partners.
The first Memory Café in Pierce County for people at all stages of dementia and their care partners will start at the end of January.
Lutheran Community Services Northwest is hosting the Memory Café at Elmer’s Restaurant in Tacoma Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 3-4:30 p.m. Elmer’s is located at 7427 S. Hosmer St. The Memory Café will then meet the fourth Wednesday of every month at Elmer’s.
“This is a great way for people to socialize and enjoy time with loved ones instead of just hiding out in the house,” said Linda McCone, a program assistant at LCS Northwest. She is organizing the café, and has volunteers lined up to help out .
The café will be held in a meeting room on the east side of Elmer’s. The goal is to have fun in a safe and supportive environment. A limited menu will be available, and participants will need to pay for their own food and drinks.
“I just thought it is a really awesome way to give back to the community,” said Manager Dylan Odom when asked why he agreed to hold the café at Elmer’s.
Memory Cafés started in Europe as a way for people with Alzheimer’s disease to integrate back into the community while restoring some sense of normalcy and acceptance. Memory Cafés in other areas of Puget Sound have been have been successful in improving social interaction as participants share meals, experiences, jokes and songs.
In addition to the Memory Café, McCone also organizes the weekly Early Stage Memory Loss Zoo Walk every Friday at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. She said there is discussion about bringing drum circles for people with dementia in Pierce County.
“The success we’ve had with the zoo walk has sparked more conversation about social engagement activities,” McCone said. “Social engagement reduces the impact of dementia.”
If you would like more information about the Memory Café or the Zoo Walk, please contact Linda McCone at 253-722-5681 or [email protected]. You do not need to preregister to participate in the Memory Café.
LCS Northwest continues to raise money for our Memory Café program. With additional funding, we will expand the cafés to other areas of Pierce County. Please call our South Puget Sound office at 253-272-8433 about helping people with dementia.
