Confidence and making new friends Many people lose contact with friends and family as they grow Too often, the result is a loss of self-confidence and a reluctance to venture out of the home. The following questionnaire responses show that the warm welcome and acceptance at St Cuthbert’s helps members to rebuild their self-confidence to the extent of forming new friendships: It brings your confidence out in you. I look forward to coming and meeting people. Meeting new people and the conversation. Relaxing, meeting new people. Confidence and community. Someone to talk to if housebound/lonely. We usually sit on a table with the same people but talk to others now and again, plus say hello and goodbye to new people. Having fun The following replies underline our initial impression on entering the Church that members thoroughly enjoy themselves at the Memory Café: Good company and lots of laughter. Friendship. And it’s fun too! Friendship and fun. Fun and friendship were prominent during the activities we observed. One of our interviewees summed up the general feeling of fun and relaxation: The best thing is the mingling, the jollity of people. You can hear it all the time. We all laugh at one another. Carer on his fifth visit with his wife During the quizzes there was a marked atmosphere of collaboration rather than competition. Loose were formed, with answers being shared and many tackled ‘teams’ the quiz as a full table activity. Members helped each other, to the extent of going to another table to offer an answer. It’s an old people’s quiz everyone tells each other the answer or asks have you – ‘What got? So in the end we all get the answers right or wrong. – Café member Inclusivity everyone has a part to play –
Confidence and making new friends Many people lose contact with friends and family as they grow Too often, the result is a loss of self-confidence and a reluctance to venture out of the home. The following questionnaire responses show that the warm welcome and acceptance at St Cuthbert’s helps members to rebuild their self-confidence to the extent of forming new friendships: It brings your confidence out in you. I look forward to coming and meeting people. Meeting new people and the conversation. Relaxing, meeting new people. Confidence and community. Someone to talk to if housebound/lonely. We usually sit on a table with the same people but talk to others now and again, plus say hello and goodbye to new people. Having fun The following replies underline our initial impression on entering the Church that members thoroughly enjoy themselves at the Memory Café: Good company and lots of laughter. Friendship. And it’s fun too! Friendship and fun. Fun and friendship were prominent during the activities we observed. One of our interviewees summed up the general feeling of fun and relaxation: The best thing is the mingling, the jollity of people. You can hear it all the time. We all laugh at one another. Carer on his fifth visit with his wife During the quizzes there was a marked atmosphere of collaboration rather than competition. Loose ‘teams’ were formed, with answers being shared and many tackled the quiz as a full table activity. Members helped each other, to the extent of going to another table to offer an answer. It’s an old people’s quiz – everyone tells each other the answer or asks ‘What have you got? So in the end we all get the answers right – or wrong. Café member Inclusivity – everyone has a part to play
St-Cuthberts-MC-Evaluation.docx