Community, support, and connection with the Irish Dementia Café Network

A special contribution to mark World Alzheimer’s Month

by Kim Tully

Chief Executive, Engaging Dementia

I joined Engaging Dementia in October 2020, and one of the best aspects about that time was the weekly Virtual Dementia Café, held on a Friday morning.

The team had reached out to experts and quickly put this resource together in the first weeks of the pandemic, when people were not allowed to socialise in person, and no one knew how long this would be the case.

I loved joining the Zoom call, where a mixture of happy, chatty people would join in, enjoying each other’s company and having a chat about whatever the topic of the week.

The original café was based in Donnybrook, but the online nature meant that people from all over Ireland joined. I was told that it was the highlight of some people’s weeks; it certainly was the highlight of mine.

In 2023, I became personally involved in establishing a Dementia Café. I approached the community of Skerries and found like-minded individuals who liked the idea. Two years on, and the Skerries Café ‘Forget-Me-Not Café’ is still going strong.

In communities across Ireland, there are now almost 70 Dementia Cafés, with more being planned and opened. What they all have in common is that they are a safe, warm, and welcoming place for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

“Rooted in four core pillars: Atmosphere, Support, Information, and Community, these cafés are designed to feel safe, engaging, and person-centred

What is a Dementia Café?

A Dementia Café is typically a monthly meetup, offered at no cost, where people living with dementia, their families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community members come together in a welcoming environment. Rooted in four core pillars: Atmosphere, Support, Information, and Community, these cafés are designed to feel safe, engaging, and person-centred.

Many attendees first come after a diagnosis. Where they might have felt overwhelmed in clinical settings to ask all the questions they wanted to, these gatherings provide a quieter space where tips and information can be shared over a cup of tea.

Dementia Cafés in Ireland

In Ireland, the first Dementia Café was opened by Engaging Dementia in 2011. Growing interest led the Health Service Executive’s National Dementia Office to task Engaging Dementia with establishing a national network in 2019.

These cafés operate under shared principles: monthly or more frequent meetings, consistent venues and times, invited speakers or topics at most events, and a running committee that annually reviews activities. They’re entirely free and welcome diverse attendees, from those living with dementia to health professionals and community allies.

People can find the dementia café closest to them on the Café Finder at dementiacafe.ie

The website also offers resources for those who might be interested in starting a new café in their community. Through tools like the ‘How to Set Up a Dementia Café’ manual and other resources, the network enables local groups to establish new cafés.

Why they matter

Dementia Cafés help counter isolation, stigma, and confusion. With Ireland now home to over 64,000 people living with dementia, a number expected to more than double by 2045, these cafés are not just beneficial; they are essential.

Each café offers a mix of gentle conversation, shared refreshments, interactive talks, and themed sessions, all elements that foster moments of joy, memory, and belonging.

Find out more about the amazing work Engaging Dementia does here.