The aim is to have a lot more understanding of dementia

The aim is to have a lot more understanding of dementia

25 February 2015

DEMENTIA can isolate those living with it and be an all-consuming, stressful experience for carers.

One nurse aiming to ease the burden is Jessica McGreevy, who is giving up her own time to set up a ‘memory cafe’ for people with dementia and their loved ones.

The aim is to create a safe social place for people to feel relaxed and not hide the fact they have dementia – a syndrome where there is a deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities.

The café will be open late one Thursday a month for people to chat over coffee and enjoy specially organised entertainment. In addition there will be someone there each night to answer questions about dementia.

The venue for Jessica’s initiative is Saints cafe in Saintfield and the first session is April 23 from 6pm to 9pm.

Jessica, who works as a dementia care trainer in care homes across Northern Ireland and Wales, said she was simply trying to raise awareness of dementia in the community.

“In Northern Ireland over 19,000 people live with dementia and two thirds of these live in the community – and these are only the people diagnosed,” she said. “The Alzheimer’s Society suggest that only half of people with dementia live well with the illness and 40 per cent say they are left feeling lonely and isolated. In 2015 this should not be happening and it can be exacerbated in rural communities. I am trying to do something about this by setting up the memory café.

“For a venue I just wanted somewhere where everyone likes and knows,” added Jessica who is from the area. “We have had interest from churches nearby. I am doing this on my own and have no funding whatsoever.”

Jessica (27) who also works as a dementia friend with the Alzheimer’s Society, said more needed to be done for people with dementia in Northern Ireland.

“The aim is to have a lot more understanding and accepting,” she said. “As dementia friends we are somebody in the community with an understanding of people with dementia. We can facilitate courses or simply have a conversation about dementia. In Northern Ireland we don’t have dementia friendly communities.

“From a personal point of view there is little support out there.”

Looking back to her training days, Jessica said she recognised people living with dementia did not always get the specific help they needed.

“A lot of people in hospitals do not get what they need.” she said. “We sometimes didn’t have the understanding or training.”

But Jessica’s interest in dementia – she is currently completing a masters degree on the topic – did not spring from her nursing training. It was formulated as a young child as she watched her own mother work in care homes.

“With mum as a nurse I have always been around care homes,” she said. “I was there to keep the residents entertained.

“I would like to get out there and do this now, this is something I have been passionate about.”

Jessica said she found it difficult to accept that when people went into care with dementia that their condition worsened.

“It is sometimes because there is not much for them to do,” she said. “If you can maintain people’s independence as long as possible the progress of dementia will slow down. 

“It is about making staff in care homes see you do not have to do everything for them – let them set the table, for example, these little things keep that sense of themselves.”

In her memory cafe, Jessica said the entertainment will be suitable for people living with dementia, with music being a significant feature.

“Music has the power to really unlock memory,” she said. “I have seen people with dementia who do not speak but when music is playing they sing. A lot of research has been carried out in this area. 

“Music has the power to really change somebody’s life. Music and dance and art can really have a really big impact.”

For more information Jessica can be contacted on 07814 290793 and followed on Twitter @mcgreevyjessie.