LYNN – Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS) will hold its quarterly “In the Moment Memory Café” on Tuesday, March 4, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the Phoenix Food Hub, located on 8 Silsbee Street.
The event provides a welcoming and judgment-free space for individuals experiencing memory loss as well as their their caregivers, offering socialization, creative activities, and caregiver support.
The March 4 event will feature a winter-themed program, including a discussion on New England birds and a hands-on activity where participants will craft a bird feeder to hang outside their windows. Additionally, Chef Michel Chamsarian, who has been involved with the café for the past year and a half, will lead a cooking demonstration at the Hub’s Teaching Kitchen.
“Self-care is a very important part of the caregiving journey,” Michele Parr, Caregiver Specialist at GLSS said. “Giving busy caregivers ideas for simple meals and easy-to-prepare snacks emphasizes taking care of ourselves and the people we care for.”
For many years, the Memory Café was held at the Lynn Museum, in 2024, it moved to GLSS’s Phoenix Food Hub, allowing for expanded activities, including food preparation and culinary demonstrations.
Parr stressed that the café is designed as a fun, interactive, and pressure-free space. “Since we are now holding the program quarterly, we usually take advantage of the season for inspiration,” she explained. “Last summer, we focused on fresh fruit and flowers, creating floral arrangements and a fruit salad for attendees to take home. In October, we made apple tarts and enjoyed a sing-along with local musician Bob Strom.”
GLSS hopes to rebuild attendance and, if participation increases, return to a monthly schedule. “What we’d really love to see is for care partnerships to come,” Parr added.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1 in 9 people aged 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, highlighting the growing need for support networks like the Memory Café.
GLSS provides a range of elder care services, including meals, transportation, in-home assistance, counseling, and elder protective services. The agency serves older adults in Greater Lynn and surrounding areas, helping caregivers navigate challenges and access the resources they need.
GLSS is also seeking corporate sponsors to help expand the Memory Café’s offerings.
“In the past, we have had corporate sponsors, which allowed us to do some very creative programming,” Parr notes. “GLSS would welcome hearing from local businesses who might be interested in helping with this important program by sponsoring one or more Memory Cafés.
The purpose of the program is for them to come together, to join the program, and to have some social time out and about in a non-judgmental and understanding space.”
For more information about the In the Moment Memory Café or other caregiver support services, visit www.glss.net, call 781-586-8635, or email [email protected].
