Pioneering new dementia café opens for Watford care home

Residents at the Prince Michael of Kent Court care home in Watford have been enjoying a new dementia café within the home.

The care home, owned and managed by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) is the first within the groups’ 17 homes to have its own dementia café for residents and their family and friends to use.

Deputy director of care operations at RMBI, Debra Keeling, said: “To have been included in this pioneering dementia care pilot project is a huge achievement for RMBI and we are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to create the first Dementia Café at Prince Michael of Kent Court.

“The project is the final chapter in our extensive refurbishment programme which has had such a positive impact on the staff and people with a dementia who live and work in the dedicated Dementia Support Unit.”

The café has been created to encourage people using it to reminisce and start conversations to allow them be build friendships. Ms Keeling added: “The café plays a huge part in our providing a relaxed and homely environment, which in turn will result in our residents being more able to participate in daily life, therefore increasing their emotional and physical well-being.”

The café is located in the dementia support unit at the home and was funded by a grant supplied by the Department of Health in response to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt’s comments regarding dementia having replaced cancer as the biggest challenge faced by the NHS.

A report titled ‘Dementia: What every commissioner needs to know’ published by the Alzheimer’s Society has revealed that in the last 5 years, the number of people with dementia in Hertfordshire has increased by 10 per cent and have predicted a further rise of 36 per cent by 2021.

The RMBI hopes that the dementia café will educate people from within the local community and improve the quality of life for residents at the care home.

The group provides care throughout England and Wales specialising in offering care for older Freemasons, their families and people within the local community.