Community
New café and social space for those impacted by dementia
The monthly café will offer the chance to speak with others who understand and are impacted by dementia
October 29, 2025 12:26
The monthly café will offer the chance to speak with others who understand and are impacted by dementia
October 29, 2025 12:26A new café and social space for those in the Jewish community impacted by dementia will open its doors for the first time next week.
Opening next Wednesday (November 5) at Nightingale House in Clapham, the Dementia Café will be open once a month to anyone affected by the disease, whether they are living with it themselves, supporting a loved one, or just curious to learn more.
Visitors will be able to drop in for a cup of tea, chat with others who understand what it is like to live with the disease, or to connect with experts.
Alison Wakefield, head of residential services at Nightingale Hammerson, said: “It’s a friendly space, and the aim is for it to be a social event, too, where people can either drop in for a short amount of time or stay for the full two hours. No one has to face dementia alone.”
The first two gatherings will feature a talk given by dementia specialists, alongside opportunities for one-to-one discussions with the experts should participants need privacy when discussing any concerns.
As the café grows, the hope is that visitors will help shape what comes next. “We will be discussing with those who join us for the first few sessions how they would like the café to develop, what activities they would like to see or how future sessions are run,” Wakefield added.
The café will run on the first Wednesday of every month between 2:30pm and 4:30pm at the care home’s activity hub at Nightingale House.
The café is part of a significant refurbishment of Nightingale House, and is one of the activities the south-west London care home will be inviting the community to in the coming months.
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