Real stories
Supporting African and African Caribbean communities with dementia
Sheffield’s Memory Hub provides culturally appropriate support for people of African and African Caribbean heritage.
When Carl Case’s mother-in-law, Adella Johnson, was diagnosed with dementia, he found that groups often missed the mark in the activities they offered.
It’s all very well singing “Knees up Mother Brown” or “Roll out the Barrel”, but if you’re from Africa or the Caribbean you won’t necessarily know these songs.
Carl, who runs a dementia training consultancy, partnered with SACMHA (Sheffield African Caribbean Mental Health Association) and secured funding for the Memory Hub, which was launched in 2023.
One year on, sessions are going strong and attract about 20 people each week.
They feature everything from gospel and Caribbean folk songs, chair tennis and art, to cognitive exercises and reminiscence therapy. They’ve been so successful that they’re looking for a bigger venue.
Importance of socialising
Josh Evers takes great pride in getting dressed up in one of his many suits every Monday morning. That’s when he and his wife, Del, head to Sheffield’s Memory Hub.
‘We go every week,’ says Del, ‘and only missed it once when it snowed. Someone at church told us about this group and we enjoyed it from the beginning.
Everyone is so friendly and gets on with each other and we are able to meet people in the same situation. Otherwise, we’d be stuck indoors.
‘It is nice to socialise,’ agrees Josh, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a year ago.
‘It’s only the two of us at home and we can just walk here in 10 minutes and see our friends. It’s the highlight of my week.’
Raising awareness about dementia
You don’t need a diagnosis to take part – some people have problems with memory or thinking without necessarily having dementia. But what everyone has in common is love for the Memory Hub.
‘Feedback has been excellent,’ says Carl. ‘And we have people coming back week after week.’
Organisers work hard to create a different theme each week.
On our visit, members from Jamaica, Guyana and St Kitts and Nevis enjoyed prayers, song and seated exercise. Images of buses from ‘back home’ and cedarwood pestles and mortars stimulated debate and memories.
Apart from being fun, Carl says the hub has an educational role in a community where lack of recognition of dementia often leads to delayed diagnosis.
‘We are trying to increase awareness so people get help sooner.’
Community support
The Memory Hub has been developed and run by the community it serves.
Carol Samuels got involved as a volunteer facilitator after losing her mum to dementia.
I didn’t find services to help Mum, so I really wanted to do something to help others.
‘The sessions stimulate the brain, as they remind people of how it was growing up. And, although not everyone has dementia, if we spot early signs we can signpost them to the right help and support.’
Retired nurse Norma Goodison, who works for SACMHA and helps organise the weekly activities, also lost her mother to dementia.
‘A lot of people affected by dementia suffer and worry about how they are going to cope,’ says Norma.
So, it is great to give people somewhere they can be signposted for help and to give them activities and the opportunity to make friendships.
People of African and African Caribbean descent have a far higher risk of developing dementia than white people the UK, and they’re more likely to die from the condition sooner.
Carl says, ‘Dementia can be frightening and challenging. No two journeys are identical, and no one can be certain about what lies ahead.
‘We are providing people the chance to do something together that is stimulating, interactive, fun and not solely about their condition.
‘If our parents hadn’t been diagnosed with dementia the Memory Hub might never have happened, so this is their legacy.’
They would have been very proud.
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