ADSS Breaks New Ground with the Historic Launch of Kent’s First Memory Café at a Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend  

Pioneering Initiatives to Champion Inclusivity and Support Underrepresented Groups  

Kent, UK Thursday 20th July 2024 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Services (ADSS) is thrilled to announce a landmark initiative with the launch of Kent’s first Memory Café at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend. This pioneering venture represents a significant stride towards inclusivity, ensuring that dementia support extends to all corners of our diverse community.  

The Memory Café officially opened its doors on Thursday, June 20th, 2024, with twenty two new attendees. It provides a vital, culturally sensitive haven where individuals living with dementia and their carers can find solace, share experiences, and access indispensable support.  

This groundbreaking initiative aims to bridge the gap in dementia care for the South Asian community, an often-overlooked demographic in traditional support frameworks. By hosting the Memory Café at a Gurdwara, ADSS highlights the crucial need to embed cultural sensitivity and inclusivity into the fabric of dementia care.  

Empowering Voices from Memory Cafe:  

“We are glad that this group exists, as dementia is not often discussed within the Sikh community due to stigma. This group serves to raise awareness and promote understanding”, Memory Cafe attendee.  

A Message from the Gurdwara:  

“Karen approached me from ADSS as a way to make the Asian community more aware of dementia, and I thought it was an excellent idea for them to seek help, learn about dementia and get the support they need”, Susan Gill, Guru Nanak Gravesend Wellbeing Centre Manager.  

“We are grateful to ADSS for running this group along with all the volunteers from the Wellbeing Centre. It is going to be a huge help for the community. We have been in contact for many years, and ADSS has been coming to the Gurdwara to raise awareness, and now we are going to be working closely regularly”, Jagdev Singh Virdee, General Secretary for the Gurdwara Gravesend