The topic at the weekly Club meeting on March 15 was extremely interesting. Our speakers were Lucian, Keegel who has been a past President of Sydney’s E Club and is currently District Chair of Community Services. He was joined at the podium by Lora Stopic, current President of Central Blue. The topic was of great importance, that is, a recommendation to help both sufferers of dementia and their carers.
In New South Wales alone, it is estimated that there are perhaps as many as 100,000 adults who suffer dementia to some degree. Often times, it is those closest to us, that is our parents, who are struck down by the disease that has no cure and seemingly, only worsens with time.
Lucien and Lora, of course, proposed a way that the community as a whole can establish an outreach program that is both doable and affordable. It is called Dementia Café or “DCaf” for short. The idea is to provide a safe and pleasant activity to those suffering from dementia and offer the carers a forum for an exchange of information. The DCaf Group would meet in a member’s house perhaps or in a meeting room once a week for coffee, a slice and a bit of conversation and/or light exercises. For more information and additional tips on starting your own DCaf, it would be best to contact Lucian Keegal directly at lskeegel@bigpond.com, or more information about dementia at Dementia Australia