Fallon Health, Pleasant View Senior Center Partner to Offer Memory Café

WORCESTER — Fallon Health announced a new partnership with the Pleasant View Senior Center in East Longmeadow. Together, they are offering the PleasantBREW Café, a memory café for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

To introduce this resource to the community, an open house will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event, which coincides with National Caregiver Month, will be held at the senior center located at 328 North Main St., East Longmeadow, and is free for anyone who attends. All are welcome, and transportation can be arranged at no cost to those in neighboring towns. The Open House will include entertainment and a complimentary lunch.

Memory cafés are social gatherings that allow people experiencing dementia and their loved ones to connect, build support networks, and to learn about available resources. A typical gathering will include coffee and light refreshments, an activity, and discussion about shared experiences. Sessions are led by experts from Fallon Health’s Summit ElderCare, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). According to the National PACE Assoc., almost 50% of program participants have a diagnosis of dementia. PACE is well-positioned to care for these individuals and support their caregivers.

“We know how important caregivers of individuals affected by dementia are. They play a vital role in the care and safety of a loved one, and we understand how having this responsibility can affect one’s life,” said Elizabeth Ciak, Social Work manager for Fallon Health. “We’re proud to partner with the Pleasant View Senior Center to offer memory cafés, connecting people from all aspects of the dementia journey, including caregivers, with the hope that they come to realize they’re not doing this alone.”

According to the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Advisory Council, there are 130,000 people in Massachusetts living with dementia, supported by approximately 340,000 family caregivers. Another estimated 130,000 residents live with dementia without a formal diagnosis. The state’s plan for addressing this large and growing public-health crisis has identified caregiver support among its top areas of focus.

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Fallon Health’s Summit ElderCare program to provide a welcoming space for folks with cognitive impairment and their care partners,” said Erin Koebler, director of the East Longmeadow Council on Aging. “Cognitive impairment and caregiving can be very isolating. Social interventions dwindle just as they are most needed. We aim to fill that void by providing a safe and friendly space for building connections.”

Memory cafés are held at the Senior Center on the third Tuesday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon, the next one being on Nov. 19. Registration is required in person at the Senior Center office, online at myactivitycenter.com, or by phone at (413) 525-5436.