For World Alzheimer’s Month in September, non-profit organization Our Better World thought it apt to highlight Memories Cafe, an uplifting initiative by Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA).
The video, titled “Dancing with Dementia”, portrays persons with dementia and their caregivers gathering once a week for a Saturday session of singing, dancing, and having a time of silly fun. Sure gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “happy hour”.
“Many caregivers, when they take care of a person with dementia, the focus at home is on basic needs,” explains Ruth Wong, the programme executive for ADA. “The physical needs are, most of the time, being taken care of, but not the social-emotional needs.”
“We all know each other, we talk to each other, it’s like a family,” describes Belinda Seet, a caregiver to her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s seven years ago. “The people with dementia, they actually enjoy [their time]. They see other people like that, and they don’t lose hope. There’s something for them to go to.”
Watch the touching video below for more insight into the initiative.
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