Resources that make communities more dementia friendly were the topic of a recent discussion between (from right) Alan Lappas and Emily Lane of Neville Place Assisted Living and Maryellen McEleney and Nancy Quigg-Gonsalves from the Cambridge Connections Memory Café. Neville Place recently renewed its grand sponsorship of the memory café.

For the second year in a row, Neville Place Assisted Living is grand sponsor for a free monthly social gathering geared toward people with dementia or memory loss.

Neville Place is sponsoring the Cambridge Connections Memory Café, which is a joint effort of Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) and the Cambridge Council on Aging. Open to people with memory loss and their care partners, the café is a welcoming space that features activities everyone can enjoy, explained SCES Director of Outreach and Community Relations Nathan Lamb.

“Providing inclusive social activities is an important piece of making our community more dementia-friendly,” said Lamb. “Stress and isolation are challenges that caregivers often face, so we really appreciate Neville Place joining with us to provide a few hours each month where families facing memory challenges can get out and have some fun together.”

Proceeds from the sponsorship will be used to offset event expenses, such as refreshments and monthly entertainment.

Located at 650 Concord Ave in Cambridge, Neville Place offers personalized assisted living and a residential Compass Memory Support Neighborhood®, which caters to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Neville Place Executive Director Alan Lappas described the sponsorship as a natural fit.

“The Cambridge Connections Memory Café is a much-needed resource for local families and one that aligns directly with our values at Neville Place,” said Lappas. “It’s so important to provide safe, inclusive spaces for our elders living with Alzheimer’s diseases or related dementias.”

Cambridge Council on Aging Director Susan Pacheco thanked Neville for supporting the café.

“This sponsorship reflects the commitment that Neville Place and their parent organization, Senior Living Residences, have to advancing awareness of dementia and creating Dementia Friendly Communities,” said Pacheco. “Their support offers a community resource for individuals with cognitive impairment.”

Cambridge Connections is hosted at the Cambridge Citywide Senior Center on the third Friday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

For more information about Cambridge Connections or to register, call 617-628-2614, ext. 3607 or email the SCES Aging Information Center at info@eldercare.org.

Registration is requested, but not required. Anyone who requires personal care assistance must be accompanied by a care partner.

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is a non-profit agency that supports the independence and well-being of older people in Somerville and Cambridge. For more information, visit eldercare.org, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or contact the SCES Aging Information Center at 617-628-2601 for free advice and guidance.