The York County Public Library is partnering with the Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging & Lifelong Health and the Peninsula Agency on Aging to offer monthly Memory Cafés to those suffering Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and their caregivers. The next Memory Café will be on September 25, 2019. The Memory Café is held on the fourth Wednesday of every month from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Tabb Library Meeting Room. This program is for those suffering from memory loss. Caregivers and/or spouses must attend as well. The Tabb Library is located at 100 Long Green Boulevard, Yorktown, VA, 23693. For a complete schedule and more information about the Cafés, please visit the library’s Event Calendar.
Adult volunteers are needed to assist with this program. We are looking for individuals who possess a positive attitude and are empathetic and enjoy conversing with seniors. Some of the Memory Café participants will be able to converse pretty well on their own; others may have trouble finding words. Volunteers will be trained to draw the attendees out and help them enjoy their time. Those facing dementia can greatly benefit from conversing when they can, or otherwise just being met where they are on their journey through memory loss.
Volunteers should be available on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:45 to 2:45 p.m. at the Tabb Library as often as possible. Volunteers are also required to attend a short training workshop prior to the first session. The training will cover communication techniques and information on how best to encourage conversation with those suffering from memory loss. The training will be no more than an hour in length. Training dates are to be determined.
If anyone has any questions about the Memory Café or volunteering opportunities, please call Marjorie Hilkert, Memory Café coordinator, at 757-345-6977.