{"id":17184,"date":"2026-05-04T12:38:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/?p=17184"},"modified":"2026-05-04T18:00:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T08:00:48","slug":"golden-hour-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/?p=17184","title":{"rendered":"Golden Hour Cafe, Emerald"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A Warm Welcome, A Simple Coffee -\na Lifeline for Families Living with Dementia<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In Emerald something quietly powerful is taking shape \u2014 a place where conversation flows easily, laughter comes naturally, and no one has to explain themselves.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The newly launched Golden Hour Caf\u00e9<\/strong>, an initiative of the Rotary Club of Emerald and District, is more than just a coffee catch-up. It is a purposeful space for people living with dementia and their partners to reconnect with community, rediscover joy, and simply feel understood.<\/p><\/div>

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Opening its doors on 6 May, and utilising the Emerald RSL facilities, the caf\u00e9 will operate on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 10am to 12 noon, offering a welcoming and supportive environment built around connection, dignity and shared experience. For many families navigating the daily challenges of dementia, opportunities like this are rare \u2014 and deeply needed.<\/p>

Behind the initiative is a clear and compassionate vision: to ensure that those living with dementia \u2014 and those who care for them \u2014 remain socially connected, engaged and supported within their own community.<\/p>

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The caf\u00e9 has been developed by the Rotary Club of Emerald and District in collaboration with Umbrella Dementia Cafes, a national leader in creating safe, inclusive spaces for people impacted by dementia. Their proven model focuses on small, consistent groups, trained volunteers, and meaningful engagement tailored to each individual\u2019s needs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Golden Hour Cafe Volunteer Team<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0Sessions are thoughtfully structured to balance familiarity and stimulation. The first hour centres around coffee, conversation and connection \u2014 celebrating birthdays, sharing stories and easing into the morning. The second hour shifts to activities shaped by the interests of the group, from music and games to crafts, puzzles or even themed experiences.<\/div>
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Importantly, the caf\u00e9 operates on a membership basis, allowing participants to build relationships over time in a consistent and supportive setting. This continuity is vital for people living with dementia, where familiarity can significantly enhance comfort and confidence.<\/p>

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For carers and partners, the benefits are equally profound.<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cCaring for someone with dementia can be isolating. This caf\u00e9 gives both the person living with dementia and their carer a chance to reconnect \u2014 not just with each other, but with others who understand what they\u2019re going through.\u201d <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Kristine Ash<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Caf\u00e9 Facilitator <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Golden Hour Caf\u00e9 also reflects a broader shift in how communities are responding to dementia \u2014 moving away from clinical settings and towards inclusive, community-based support.<\/p>

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With dementia now one of Australia\u2019s most significant health challenges \u2014 and numbers expected to rise sharply in the coming decades \u2014 grassroots initiatives like this are becoming increasingly important.<\/p>

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In Cardinia Shire alone, the number of people living with dementia is projected to grow significantly over the next 30 years, placing greater demand on families, services and local support networks.<\/p>

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For the Rotary Club, the caf\u00e9 is a natural extension of its commitment to community service.\u00a0 The club is very grateful for the funding support the caf\u00e9 has received from Falcone and Adams<\/a>, Thats Right Bookkeeping<\/a>, OrgMent Business Solutions<\/a>, the Cardinia Community Foundation<\/a> and from Rotary District 9815<\/a>.\u00a0 The club is also grateful to Emerald RSL for making their facilities available.\u00a0 This is truly an example of collaboration working to make a difference.<\/p><\/div>

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The caf\u00e9 also provides an opportunity to engage volunteers in meaningful, hands-on support. Volunteers from Rotary and the community receive specialised training from Umbrella Dementia Caf\u00e9s and Dementia Training Australia and work in close ratios with participants, ensuring each person feels safe, supported and included.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cWe are incredibly proud to be working alongside the Rotary Club of Emerald and District. They are already such a strong and trusted force in their local community, and this partnership brings together the very best of local leadership with our proven, person\u2011centred dementia caf\u00e9 model. Together, we\u2019re excited to be implementing this unique model in the 'ranges'. \"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKirsty Porter<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCEO, Umbrella Dementia Cafes <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There is also a quiet but powerful secondary impact \u2014 breaking down stigma.<\/p>

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By bringing dementia into a warm, social setting, the Golden Hour Caf\u00e9 helps shift perceptions, reminding the community that those living with dementia are still active, valuable and deserving of connection and joy.<\/p>

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As the first sessions begin, there is a sense of anticipation \u2014 and hope.<\/p>

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For some, it will be a welcome outing.
For others, a much-needed support network.
And for many, it may become something far more meaningful. \u2026. A place to belong.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

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For more information go to https:\/\/www.emeraldrotary.org.au\/page\/rotary-golden-hour-cafe<\/a> or contact Kris on 0412 399 001 she would love to chat with you and explain how it all works.<\/p>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisit the Golden Hour Website To Register<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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At its core, a community-led cafe, is an independently run, not-for-profit community group. They are the embodiment of a strong community-centred approach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":79,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[95,108,77,124],"class_list":["post-17184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-awareness","tag-community","tag-dementia","tag-umbrella-dementia-cafes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17184"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17233,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17184\/revisions\/17233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umbrelladementiacafes.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}