Mindful Cafe changing lives at award winning Claremont Court

A pioneering initiative for people living with dementia and their families has been launched at the award winning Claremont Court.

The Mindful Mug Cafe is designed to create a supportive environment where people living with dementia within the Guildford community can unwind, reminisce and chat with the home’s residents and their family members.

The team are delighted with the impact the initiative has had at the home, which recently won the Dementia Carer Award for the South East Region at the Great British Care Awards.

“The team have all put a lot of hard work into the cafe and we are so pleased to see the positive impact it is already having on our residents and their loved ones,” said lifestyle coordinator Cheryll Hayman.

“Some days can be really hard for a family member when their loved one is living with dementia and to see a friendly, caring face at our café can be all it takes to give them their smile back.

“The cafe is that space where they are always welcome to relax, have a brew and speak to other people experiencing the same things.

“Everyone who has come to spend time here has really benefited from having a space to share their thoughts in an understanding group and the residents have loved being able to interact with different people and spend quality time with their families.”

The cafe has been freshly refurbished with a brand new decor and is geared towards making the home a hub for family members who are offered support and encouraged to play an active role at the home, which caters exclusively for people living with dementia and complex dementia.

Research from the University of Exeter found that 44% of family carers for people living with dementia reported moderate loneliness and 18% experienced severe loneliness.

Additionally, 30% of people living with mild to moderate dementia reported experiencing loneliness.

Care home manager Karen Byres said: “Putting our home at the heart of our community is something we are really proud of.

“Residents’ families and friends play an active part in their loved one’s lives and we are always keen to welcome them into our home. It means so much to us that through the Mindful Mug Café we can extend the invite to people living nearby.

“We are so excited to continue growing this initiative, which shows our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents living with dementia and making ourselves part of our community.