Fairland URC hosts Pabulum and 'Musicalitea'

Trevor Brown, a member of Fairland URC and Chair of the Wymondham Dementia Support Group, reports.

 

In November, 2008, following a public meeting to consider the needs of those locally diagnosed with dementia and their carers a committee representing local organisations and churches was established called The Wymondham Pabulum Cafe Committee.

 

The objective was to establish a Pabulum Cafe in Wymondham modelled upon those recently established by AgeUK Norfolk in Norwich and Diss. The Pabulum Cafe concept being based upon 'Alzheimer Cafes' established in Holland by Dr Biere Miesen, a Clinical Psychologist.

 

 

The Wymondham Pabulum Cafe opened in March 2009 with six persons with dementia and their carers attending. Our fund raising since the public meeting had been successful with grants from Norfolk Community Foundation; The Geoffrey Watling Charity; Wymondham Town Council other local organisations and the offer of free premises use for 6 months by Fairland United Reformed Church. Since that time we have opened every second and fourth friday of each month.

 

The Cafe provides a meeting place where persons with dementia, their carers, family members and other interested parties (e.g. health and social care professionals) can come together and receive support, guidance and information in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere whilst enjoying refreshments and light lunches.

 

Activities include reminiscence sessions, various games, music, singing and quizzes. A carers group which lasts for 45 minutes is held at each cafe in a separate lounge and during this time the service users with dementia are supported by volunteers. We have found from feedback that the carers group is immensely important to them and they have explained that it has helped them share and overcome their feelings of isolation and powerlessness. Our membership is now twenty people with dementia each of whom attend with a carer. There is no complex referral system. People just turn up or may have been referred by a friend, GP or a professional worker.

 

 

Each cafe session is under the direction of a trained Co-ordinator employed by AgeUK Norfolk and seconded to Wymondham Dementia Support Group. She is supported by a team of eighteen volunteers all of whom have received a three day dementia awareness training course. Volunteers are vetted and accredited by AgeUK Norfolk who also undertake their CRB checks. Our partnership with AgeUK Norfolk has proved most helpful but it should be noted that all costs including management charges for the Co-ordinator's salary, volunteer recruitment, training and CRB costs are met by Wymondham Dementia Support

Group.

 

 

As our membership has increased we have consulted regularly with our service users as to how we might improve our response to their needs. One consistent request was to have the opportunity for singing and dancing, activities which were impractical in the cafe setting apart from short sing-song periods – we also recognised that such activities did not appeal to all. Therefore in March 2011 we opened a new venture called 'MUSICALITEA' for people with dementia and their carers which opens one afternoon per month and functions like a tea dance with live music. This has surpassed our expectations and brings much joy to participants and volunteers stimulating memory and providing healthy exercise.

 

We are now planning, at the request of service users, a new service focussing upon singing – we hope this will open early in 2012 – if successful this will mean we provide a distinct supportive activity each week of each month - Two Pabulum Cafe's, Musicalitea and the proposed Singing session.

 

 

As our service and range of activities has developed we have now become a registered charity to enable us to embrace the range of needs we continue to observe and learn about. The Objective of the Charity is:-