A New Place to Connect: Memory Café Begins This October

Sometimes the best moments are simple ones: making something with your hands, listening to a favorite song, spending time with a friendly dog, sharing a snack, or laughing with someone beside you.

Beginning this October, Laramie County Library System is creating a new opportunity for adults experiencing memory changes and their care partners to enjoy those moments together.

Memory Café will meet on the first Thursday of each month from 10:00–11:30 a.m. in the Cottonwood Room at the main library in Cheyenne. Each gathering will offer a different activity along with opportunities to connect, socialize, and simply enjoy time together.

At the heart of Memory Café is a focus on the individual rather than their medical condition. People experiencing memory changes can have different needs when participating in activities or navigating social settings. Memory Café is designed with those needs in mind, offering accessible and adaptable activities, additional staff support, and a relaxed, stigma-free environment where participants can engage in ways that work for them.

Part of a Growing Movement

Memory Café is new to Laramie County Library System, but the idea behind it is not.

The concept began in the Netherlands in 1997, when Dr. Bère Miesen created the first Alzheimer’s Café as a place where people experiencing dementia and their loved ones could connect while reducing the social stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease.

The idea spread throughout Europe and eventually to the United States. Along the way, the name evolved to Memory Café to be more inclusive of people experiencing different forms of dementia and other cognitive changes.

Today, Memory Cafés can be found in communities across the United States and around the world. While each reflects the community it serves, they share a common philosophy: creating opportunities for people experiencing memory changes and their care partners to connect, participate, and enjoy meaningful experiences together.

Laramie County Library System’s Memory Café brings that philosophy to our community.

Something Different Each Month

The first three Memory Cafés offer three very different ways to spend time together.

In October, participants can get creative with an arts and crafts session, decorating terracotta pots and planting succulents to take home.

In November, trained therapy dog teams from Alliance of Therapy Dogs will visit the library, offering opportunities for gentle interaction, companionship, conversation, and connection.

In December, music takes center stage with a music and movement gathering featuring rhythm, simple exercises, and interactive activities designed to encourage participation and plenty of laughter.

Drinks and snacks will be provided at each gathering.

Memory Café begins in October and meets on the first Thursday of each month from 10:00–11:30 a.m. in the Cottonwood Room at the main library in Cheyenne.