Launch of Rutherglen dementia cafe is success

A CAFE offering support to people with dementia launched last week at Rutherglen Town Hall. Rutherglen Dementia Café was inaugurated on Tuesday and enjoyed a good turn out.

Attendees included Rutherglen South Lib Dem councillor Eileen Baxendale and SNP councillor Jim McGuigan.

The cafe is being run by Alzheimers Scotland – Action on Dementia.

Twenty-six people were at the launch in the tower room of the Town Hall for the service that provides people with dementia and their carers the chance to meet others in similar circumstances.

Councillor Eileen Baxendale, Deputy Chair of Social Work for South Lanarkshire Council expressed enthusiastic support for the project, which will also branch out to Cambuslang.

Jim McGuigan, councillor for Uddingston and Bothwell and SNP South Lanarkshire lead on Social Work, congratulated Alzheimer Scotland Action on Dementia, Rutherglen Carers and NHS Lanarkshire on setting up the Cafes, which are to be held on the last Tuesday of each month between1pm and 3pm.

Arlene Crockett, service manager for Alzheimer Scotland said: “The cafe is for people to come along, socialise with other people and their families and gain the opportunity to get some information on dementia and other forms of support.

“There will often be representatives there from social work or the NHS, so people can talk to them about any issues.”

In Cambuslang a second café will run on the last Wednesday of the month from 1-3pm in the CTEC building.