GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A recent study from New York University projects that dementia cases could double by 2060 due to extended lifespans, raising concerns about the well-being of older adults.
In response, local initiatives like the memory cafe at the United Methodist Church of Green Valley are providing much-needed social engagement and support.
Each month, the church hosts the memory cafe, offering a welcoming environment for those experiencing memory issues, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
This month’s gathering brought a touch of excitement as basketball players from Sahuarita’s Walden Grove High School joined attendees for a spirited March Madness celebration.
The students showed off some moves, played games and chatted with the memory cafe participants. Walden Grove’s Associate Head Coach Eric Romero said it gave the students an opportunity to engage with the community and spend time with elders that they normally wouldn’t experience.
Along with the opportunity to provide community service, Coach Romero had a personal connection to the event.
"I lost my grandfather to dementia and Alzheimer’s about 20 years ago," Romero said. "When we were asked to participate, I had five or six boys eager to join without hesitation. It’s an opportunity to brighten someone’s day."
The attendees were overjoyed to talk with the young students, fulfilling the purpose of the program.
“Memory cafe is a socialization program,” said retired Methodist Minister Jerry Haas. “The focus is on how to provide a safe place and a place for socializing for people that may be pretty isolated and may not get out very much.”
The program, launched in 2023, addresses the pervasive issue of social isolation among older adults with cognitive challenges. The practice was begun in 1997 in the Netherlands by psychologist Dr. Bère Miesen to provide a space to socialize, share experiences and build meaningful connections for those struggling with memory conditions and diseases.
Haas emphasized the importance of providing a safe and social space for participants, who may otherwise become increasingly isolated due to the daily demands of their conditions.
"They often have to spend significant energy on basic tasks like dressing and preparing meals," Haas explained. "This can shrink their social environment, so instead of being able to get out and say, play cards, they are more isolated and this isolation builds over time.”
In addition to benefiting attendees, the Memory Cafe also offers companionship and understanding for caregivers, which Haas says feel the impacts of dementia along with the person experiencing it.
“The caregiver is struck with this challenge of having to get all the things for the family household,” Haas said. “At the same time, they have to find a time for socializing and connecting with other people.”
He says the strain on caregivers makes it important to develop a collaborative team to provide relief during stressful times. Otherwise, caregivers can become just as isolated. “When dementia happens, the dynamic is similar in terms of this isolation of the family,” Haas said.
He references the recent case of actor Gene Hackman, who was found dead in February after his wife and caregiver had passed away days earlier.
“It’s really sad in that story where the caregiver takes the whole burden on themselves and fails to develop a team approach where they can work together with friends and professional caregivers,” Haas said. “You need a network of people who can care for that person.”
The Pima Council on Aging currently supports seven memory cafes across the county, including two in Green Valley.
For more information about the memory cafe and other activities at the United Methodist Church of Green Valley, visit the church’s website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
