Dementia cafés: recommendations from interviews with informal carers
ISSN: 1366-3666
Article publication date: 18 September 2017
Issue publication date: 19 October 2017
Abstract
Purpose
Dementia cafés (also known as Alzheimer’s or memory cafés) have been running in the UK since 2000. The purpose of this paper is to report on the recommendations from recent research that interviewed family carers on their experiences of using the cafés.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was carried out in cafés in and around London, and focussed on informal, unpaid carers’ experiences of using them. In total, 11 carers from five different dementia cafés were interviewed, using semi-structured questionnaires. The results were thematically analysed.
Findings
The findings showed that carers had an overwhelming appreciation of the cafés and what they offered, but several of the findings led to the recommendations about the recruitment and training of café co-ordinators; how cafés present themselves and their services and how they can offer dedicated support to informal carers.
Originality/value
These recommendations will be of use to café organisers and commissioners, especially considering the dearth of information currently available in this area.
Keywords
Citation
Akhtar, F., Greenwood, N., Smith, R. and Richardson, A. (2017), "Dementia cafés: recommendations from interviews with informal carers", Working with Older People, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 236-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-07-2017-0018
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited