Alzheimer Caféor how to develop conviviality

Sabine HENRY

President of the « Ligue Alzheimer asbl » (B)

Vice-president of Alzheimer Europe

15th Alzheimer Europe Conference

Killarney (Ireland) – 11th June 2005

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Alzheimer’s Disease :

LIGHT STAGE MODERATE STAGE SEVERE STAGE

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

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Alzheimer Café :What is that in fact ?

DEFINITION:

A convivial place of meeting for patients, families, professionals, interested people,…

A view of an Alzheimer Café in Charleroi (Belgium)

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Alzheimer Café in Belgium :From where does that come ?

ORIGINS:

a) an initiative of Bere Miesen, Doctor in psychology (Mariëhaven, Holland). The general difficulty for all to talk about the disease (taboo).

b) the dance-cafés in Germany. An opportunity to maintain social, interhuman abilities

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Alzheimer Café :Where is this in Belgium ?

Brussels

Neufchâteau

Liège

Namur

Eupen

Charleroi

Ottignies (in preparation)

10.000.000 citizens

150.000 people with dementia

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Alzheimer Café in Liège :

A view of Liège (Belgium)

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Alzheimer Café :Who takes part ?

Families

Public authorities

Patients

StudentsCarers

MediaLigue Alzheimer

Dog

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Alzheimer Café :A field for new experiences

Maintaining abilitiesMaintaining abilities

& &

learning learning

by doing by doing

Alzheimer CaféAlzheimer Café

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Alzheimer Café :Why ? A lack of information

OBJECTIVE:

• Spend a pleasant moment with each other

• Be informed (informally) and exchange within a normal (not institutional) framework and so facilitate the acceptance of the disease for everyone

A view of an Alz. Café in Charleroi (B)

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Alzheimer Café :What’s necessary ?

ORGANIZATION, CO-OPERATION:

• with the local group of self-help (animation, group line, topics, material)

• local and private support (room, sponsoring of drinks, transport)

• Definition of a yearly program, once a month, at firm times and working days

• Announcement for the concerned public via press, TV, Ligue Alzheimer,…

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Alzheimer Café :How is this made ?

METHOD:

• Open group, indefinite number of participants. Informal framework with a season-adapted decoration. Orienting and normalizing behavior of the group line

TIMING:

• in each case +/- 2 hours in the early afternoon

UNFOLDING:

• individual greetings - Café/thé - topic of the daily before the group - free exchange - scatter into small groups - Café/thé - progressive locking

Vade-Vade-mecummecum

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Alzheimer Café :What do we do ?

Different activities and discussions according to the season, the mood, the desires,…

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE &

DEMENTIA

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Alzheimer Café :

SILENCE Here we answer to everything !

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Alzheimer Café : Key words

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Alzheimer Café :

Juste like in a sport’s team…,

a « coach » shows the way to follow, the aim to reach,…

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Alzheimer Café :

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Alzheimer Café :which costs ?

EXPENSES:

As low as possible, with optimal quality

a) Room

b) Drinks, pastry, napkins, etc…

c) With prof. group line• 3 hours of preparation time

• 3 hours of work time locally

d) Dispatch of the announcement, invitations away (postage, telephone, email)

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Alzheimer Café :which costs ? (2)

INDIRECT COST:

A lot of time for…

a) Preparation

b) Contacts, telephone, emails,…

c) Information work in the local group

d) Search for sponsors

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After an Alzheimer Café :

AlzheimerCafé

Liège (Belgium)

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Ligue Alzheimer asbl :Alzheimer Café among others…

ActivitiesActivities First « public » targetedFirst « public » targeted

Alzheimer CafésAlzheimer Cafés Patients with their carers

Self-help groupsSelf-help groups Families

Conferences Conferences Families & professional carers

Training sessions Training sessions Circle of careCircle of care Families

Training sessions Training sessions AccordéAccordé Professional carers

Free telephone helplineFree telephone helplineFamilies but also professionals, students, interested people,…

WebsitesWebsites Everybody

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What about a « european Alzheimer Café »?

Please come in touch with us !!!

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Ligue Alzheimer asbl

Montagne Sainte-Walburge 4bis

B-4000 Liège

BELGIUM

• Tel. & fax : 0032 – 4 – 229.58.10

• E-mail : henry.sabine@skynet.be

• Website : www.alzheimer.be

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