Dementia coffee mornings (From Borehamwood Times)

Dementia coffee mornings at Elstree Lawns

10:49am Friday 26th October 2012 in News By Anna Slater

People with dementia are invited to join in with “relaxing and comforting” coffee mornings to share their experiences.

Elstree Lawns, in Barnet Lane, Borehamwood, holds weekly sessions every Thursday to give people affected by the illness the chance to meet others like them.

The sessions also give residents in the Bupa nursing home the chance to interact with other people in the community.

Irene Howard, who does not live in the nursing home, said: “I absolutely love it here. “Every single staff member is wonderful and I have something to look forward to each week now.

“It benefits me very well. I think it would be lovely if more people from the community came as I’d like to meet some more people in the same position as me.”

Her daughter, Tracey Waterhouse, said the group is a great place to share experiences about dementia with others in the same boat.

“A trip to a coffee shop with someone with dementia can be tough, but here they supply all the teas and coffees and you are around others who know what it is like.

“They are so well looked after here, and so you really feel comfortable asking questions you might have been too scared to ask before.”

During the sessions, activities coordinator Carol Jones helps the group play dominos, cards and board games.

The event, which has been running since January, is also open to carers.

Linda Byrne, who is also an activities coordinator for the nursing home, said: “A lot of people might think coming into a nursing home is a bad place, but many people who come to our coffee mornings now realise they are actually quite fun places.

“I am pleased this has been so successful and I am looking forward to getting some more members, so we can carry on helping people.”

The coffee mornings run from 10am to 12pm every Thursdays.