CAFÉS

Our Cafés Are Social Peer Support Groups

In 2016, we were founded with the purpose of improving the wellbeing of people living with dementia. Inextricably linked to these people are their carers, family and community. We thought, what better way to harness and expand on these connections than through a café? An environment where people can come together for some relief, fun, conversation and shared experiences.

We achieved this by establishing intimate, volunteer-led social groups (cafés) which are located in local community houses, churches or lifestyle clubs.

Our cafés are best suited to individuals with early to mid-onset dementia (all types & ages) and includes a carers support program. People who attend the café, attend with their spouse, friends or family who happily take full responsibility for their loved one living with dementia.

All new couples must register their interest to attend online or e-mail before attending their first café. To protect the integrity of our café and in response to our members requests, we ask health care professionals to attend by invitation only please. Of course, all aged care and organisational brochures are very welcome.

We are funded by generous donations from our philanthropic partners and local grants from organisations who share our vision of empowering people with dementia.

REGISTER HERE

Our Online Zoom Cafes

The second iteration of our café peer support model evolved from the necessity of meeting during Covid-19 lockdown periods. We now have the option to meet online when lockdowns prevent us from meeting in person. Each of these virtual groups are designed to decrease the feelings of isolation and keep those connections strong.

When COVID-19 lockdowns occurs, our online cafés immediately move to be weekly Zoom cafés for one hour and replace the 2 hour fortnightly meeting until we can meet face to face again.

All our members also have access to their personal café WhatsApp groups so they can chat throughout the week which has proven to be very popular was to stay connected.

All Umbrella Dementia Cafés are built on four core principles:

CHOICE

For people living with dementia, autonomy is often one of the first things lost. The activities and programs in each café are designed for members to rediscover their sense of autonomy, choice and personal agency. We promote independent choices following the ‘to do with, not for’ philosophy.

CONNECTION

We open up the conversation about dementia and socially connect people in a positive, safe environment. We encourage members to collate ideas of living better and longer at home through shared knowledge, technology, research and innovation. Members are also connected with professionals or local businesses when needed.

AWARENESS

Everyone involved in the community receives information and education about dementia, our cafés, how dementia diseases can be supported and what services or programs are available locally. We use the community in its entirety to bring about this awareness; including young people, local businesses and large national organisations.

INCLUSIVITY

We provide environments that adapt to people experiencing dementia- not the other way around. The café community understands how to include and engage with people living with dementia and is actively educating the volunteers, members and local businesses in how to do the same.

What to Expect

PHYSICAL CAFÉS

Time for some fun! Our café sessions are designed to offer support for a range of personalities and interests. Most volunteers have their own lived dementia experiences and feel united in creating positive environments for people experiencing dementia. Volunteers are encouraged to create activities we can all enjoy and have a laugh about, and are specific to the interests of the people who attend the café. This can mean anything from gardening, singing, games and even building an engine! It completely depends on what people like to do.

When comfortable and confident their partner is ok, care-partners are invited to join in on the Care and Share meeting.

Whilst the people living with dementia enjoy various activities, the care-partner has the option to join our Care and Share program. It’s a small group conversation, facilitated by an experienced social worker, registered nurse or someone trained in peer support group facilitation. Carers are supported to open up about what it means to care for someone with dementia and share practical caring ideas while supporting each other emotionally. The Care & Share group is often done in a separate room, for 30 – 45 minutes during the 2 hour café session. It is a confidential meeting and no notes are taken.

The facilitator uses a ‘systems approach’. A systems approach is when the group works together to create strategies to support their care relationships and ultimately improve their mental or social health and wellbeing.

$20 per couple.

There are 4 payment options to guarantee your spot in any of our cafés locations.

OPTION 1: New members can enjoy their first café free of charge.

OPTION 2: Annual upfront payment of $190 per person totalling $380 per couple calculated pro rata for new members.

OPTION 3: Bi-Annual upfront payment $95 per person and $180 per couple paid in March and July calculated pro rata for new members.

OPTION 4: Paid using your Home Care Package. Please note: This is reliant on the Terms & Conditions of individual Home Care Providers. Additional administration charges apply when using this option.

This fee includes morning tea, carers support group, a tailored cafe program facilitator, access to local community networks and dementia specific resources.

ONLINE CAFÉS

Each café has developed its own unique online activity program.

Each program is designed to respond to the interests of both the person living with dementia and their family care partner.

We use visual aids, music and an experienced facilitator to promote engagement and inspire story telling. Some examples of our programs includes yoga, cooking classes, our first cars, wedding day, bingo, quizzes and even virtual trips around the world.

Locations

Blackburn | Umbrella Café

One Community Church, 184 Surrey Road, Blackburn

Opened in October 2016, the Umbrella Café was out first and still is our largest cafe group. It's also the home of our most experienced volunteer group with volunteers who initially attended the café as carers themselves. Therefore this cafe group is proactive in launching new programs and invite people from all the other cafés to see how they run their café. This group meets fortnightly on a Tuesday morning and welcome a large number of people who live with dementia and their family carer to enjoy social activities and share practical tips on how to cope better with dementia.

Blackburn North | Koonung Café

Koonung Cottage Community House, 109 Koonung Road, Blackburn North

Koonung Café first opened in March 2018 with monthly luncheons. Now, this group prefers to meet for afternoon tea every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. Koonung Café is a quieter café, with a maximum of 6 couples and 4 volunteers. We enjoy access to the whole cottage offering more freedom to create 1:1 tailored activities in different areas of the house, such as the odd BBQ lunch, table tennis, music, guest speakers and a room for a carers support group.

Box Hill South | Café Of Connections

Box Hill South Neighbourhood House, 47 Kitchener Street, Box Hill South

This group have called themselves ‘Café of Connections’ after launching in August, 2019. Since then, they met every fortnight on a Tuesday morning. This group is 6 couples and 8 volunteers strong and are proud of their close knit community connections. This group enjoys using the whole the Neighbourhood House for their café so you can hear the laughter and conversation where ever you are.

Rosebud | Friendship Café

Seawinds Community Hub, 11a Allambi Avenue, Rosebud

The Friendship Café opened on the 19th November 2019, welcoming over 35 people to this new café program on the Mornington Peninsula. This café has been so successful it influenced the launch of another Umbrella Dementia Café in Sorrento. The Friendship Café community are proud of their strong community connections, value meeting new people, love to have fun, are proactive in both sharing experiences and supporting each other. They meet ever fortnight on a Thursday morning and have access to the Community Hub's adjoining gardens.

This cafés is currently full. Please get in touch to go on the wait list.

Sorrento | Sorrento Café

Sorrento Community Centre, 860-868 Melbourne Road, Sorrento

Building a brand-new Umbrella Dementia Café takes a village! We joined forces with the team at Sorrento Community Centre and created their very own café for local couples experiencing dementia. This interest in the cafes was so great it was successfully launched online while they were in lockdown in September 2021. We welcomed 4 couples and 2 volunteers to the group. They are a brave and proactive bunch who immediately connected over their shared life experiences. They now meet in person every second Thursday morning and have access to garden and two rooms in the Community Centre.

Burwood | Cafe Title

Bennettswood Neighbourhood House, 7 Greenwood Street, Burwood

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VISIT CAFE

Volunteer

If our cause is as close to your heart as it is ours, you may wish to join our community of volunteers. Giving back in a meaningful way can be incredibly rewarding. As a volunteer you will be directly supporting people living with dementia through 1:1 or group activities at your local the dementia café.

We always aim for a high ratio of volunteers in each of our cafés,
so please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

You will be improving lives and contributing to the wider community of people experiencing dementia. Please contact us if you are interesting in being a part of our connected team.