A grand opening was held today for the first Milwaukee County Partnership Memory Café. Located at Ferch’s Malt Shoppe & Grille in Greendale, it is a place where people with dementia can socialize with their caregivers and others as they would have before their diagnosis.
The café was opened by the Milwaukee County Department on Aging, the Alzheimer’s Association of Southeastern Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Public Museum in an effort to improve quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
“I want to thank our community partners in Greendale along with the Alzheimer Association and the Milwaukee Public Museum’s SPARK program for helping make Milwaukee County’s first Memory Café a reality,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “Memory Cafés provide a dignified, supportive and engaging environment for persons with dementia and are one of the building blocks in our ongoing effort to create a Dementia Friendly Community.”
A Dementia Friendly Community (DFC) is one in which people with dementia are empowered to have high aspirations and feel confident, knowing they can contribute and participate in activities that are meaningful to them. In addition to Memory Cafés, other essential elements of a DFC include creating a Memory Connection Center, training public health and public safety officials, engaging with local businesses and organizing support groups.
The Ferch’s Malt Shoppe & Grill Memory Café is located at 5636 Broad St. in Greendale. Plans are underway to open more Milwaukee County Partnership Memory Cafés in other communities and neighborhoods in Milwaukee County.
