Sessions to help fight loneliness in care homes coming to Wrexham

Mum of two, Rebecca Jones is the founder of the Memory Maker Café, and her idea goes back nine years ago when she first started working in care when a lady called Emmie came into her life.

Inspiration for the Memory Maker Café was a result of getting to know elderly lady, Emmie whose friends and family had all passed away and she hadn’t left the care home for over two years.

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Rebecca said: “I took Emmie to a café, and it was amazing. She was so happy and when children walked in, her face was priceless. Seeing her interact with children changed my look on life instantly.

“I started doing pop up playgroups in care homes around Wrexham with loads of children, mum and dads taking part, it was amazing, then Covid hit and changed all my plans. The relationships between children and the elderly was amazing, it was sad to see it ripped away.

Now life has all but regained a sense of normality, Rebecca is determined to bounce back in her bid to fight loneliness, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia in the community and spread joy into elderly people’s lives through fun and crafts alongside parents and children in care homes.

“The aim of my classes is to create a positive and stimulating environment for those in a care home through intergenerational play.

“The children that take part are aged between new-born and 4 years old. This allows me to match each resident with a child they can form a bond or connection with – be it a resident who was a midwife matched with a baby, or a resident who loves to paint being matched with a child with a passion for art- the emphasis is on forming real connections through shared experience.

“This benefits the residents as well as the children, as both groups get to have new experiences and make new memories together!

The sessions will begin in September, lasting for two hours and will run for six weeks and will consist of crafts, music, sensory play, tea, coffee, snacks, and more. The last session of the six weeks will be a celebration of the residents and children’s work and their newfound friendships.