Care home launches community café

The monthly get-together will give people with dementia and their carers somewhere to go and guest speakers will give talks on various subjects.

Manager Nikki Burke said: “Because we are a dementia home, that is our passion. The whole idea is to open it up to everybody, to people who may be socially isolated, to give them a place to go once a month.

“It will give people a chance to get together in a safe environment and offer some useful information to help people stay in their own homes for longer.

“I think carers sometimes need to chat to other carers. We are not aiming to be a day centre, but we will be running activities alongside the café and integrating it so residents are involved.”

The café was officially launched last Wednesday at a meet the manager event organised by Care UK.

Sessions will be held at the home, in The Leas, on the first Thursday of the month, 10.30am to midday, starting on April 5.

Nikki, who was appointed in January, has worked in the care sector for 30 years. She studied at Brighton School of Nursing and worked as a midwife before focusing on looking after the elderly.

She has held a manager role since 2006 and was recognised in the 2007 Registered Managers Awards. She has also won an NVQ trainer and assessor award for health and social care.

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