Mike's Story - A Personal Journey with Alzheimer's by Jean Allen (part 3)
In this third instalment of our franchise owner, Jean’s experience of supporting her Dad through Alzheimer’s, she shares her thoughts about the importance of a dementia friendly community.
Whilst Alzheimer’s cannot be cured, there is still so much that can be done to improve quality of life—for both the person living with it and those supporting them.
Creating a truly inclusive community means ensuring that everyone—especially those living with dementia, along with their families and carers—feel supported, valued, and connected.
Dementia Cafes
In this part of our journey, I want to focus on community and connection.
Across our local area, a growing range of dementia-friendly groups and activities are helping to make this a reality. From relaxed social meetups and memory cafés to creative workshops, gentle exercise sessions, and support networks, these initiatives are designed with understanding, patience, and accessibility at their heart. They provide safe, welcoming spaces where individuals can engage at their own pace, maintain independence, and build meaningful connections, while carers can access vital support and shared experiences.
By championing these opportunities and encouraging participation, we can continue to foster a compassionate community where no one faces dementia alone.
Dementia Cafés
Across Tendring, there are numerous dementia cafés—safe, welcoming spaces where people with dementia and their carers can come together.
They offer more than just a cup of tea. They provide understanding, shared experience, and a sense of not being alone.
Locally, they include:
- Frinton Free’s Dementia and Friendship Café on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 2-3.30pm
- Memory Café at West Clacton Library on Tuesday’s at 10.30am-12.30pm
Singing for the Brain
One of the remarkable aspects of Alzheimer’s is how long-term memories can remain intact, even when short-term memory fades. Music taps into those memories. People may not remember what they did that morning—but they can remember every word of a song from years ago.
Singing sessions can bring joy, confidence, and a sense of normality. For carers, seeing that spark return, even briefly, is incredibly powerful. There are quite a few local music and/or dance-based dementia friendly groups on offer across Clacton, Frinton and Walton, here are details of a few:
Our own monthly Community Singalong takes place on the third Thursday of each month at Frinton Community Association in the Triangle Shopping Centre, from 1.30pm to 3pm.
Harwich Sing Tendring Voices run a Sing to the Golden Oldies session on the fourth Friday of every month at Thorpe Baptist Church from 10.30am to 12 noon.
Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) host a monthly Mind the Music session at Kenedy Way Community Garden on the lat Friday of the Month from 10m to 2.30pm.
The Dance Network Association run a monthly Dancing with Dementia session on a Monday between 10.30am and 12 noon at Sunspot, Brooklands, in Jaywick Sands. Booking is essential.
Other Dementia Friendly groups and activities
From seated exercise sessions, men’s sheds and dedicated groups supporting those with young onset dementia, there’s a range of dementia friendly community activities available across Clacton, Frinton, Walton and Brightlingsea. They all play a vital role in building a dementia-friendly community where everyone can stay active, connected, and supported. Here are just a few:
Sailship CIC is a hidden gem tucked away on Fairclough Avenue in Clacton where you will find a host of community activities including a dementia friendly sensory garden and a café.
Frinton Rotarians host a weekly Men’s Walk & Talk session starting and ending at Frinton Community Association from 10am-12noon.
Our own Community Engagement Officer, Jo Thorne, is a qualified yoga teacher and she leads three weekly, free, dementia friendly seated yoga classes at Harwich Library on a Monday at 12.30pm and 2pm and at Clacton Library on a Tuesday at 4pm. These are funded by Active Essex and commissioned by Essex Library Service
Walton Lifestyles Pool host a weekly Monday inclusive swimming session from 11am to 12.30pm
The Young Minds Dementia Group meet every Thursday afternoon at The Stroke & Wellness Centre in Holland-on-Sea from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Dedicated to supporting those with young onset dementia or those early in their dementia diagnosis, through activities, information and knowledgeable speakers.
Clacton Century Cinema on Pier Avenue offer inclusive screenings on the last Wednesday of the month.
Jaywick Men’s Shed meet weekly at Unit 1, Enterprise Centre, Lotus Way in Jaywick from 10am to 4pm. It’s a welcoming space where people can make new friends, learn and share practical skills.
The Essex University has a Health, Wellbeing and Care Hub located at the campus in Colchester. The state-of-the-art centre aims to improve health and wellbeing across our region. It offers move and meet sessions, living well with Parkinson’s meet ups, and a unique service called music mirrors helping those living with dementia capture and preserve their life story through music.
For a full list of local dementia friendly activities, support and groups contact our Community Engagement Officer, Jo on 01255 672 269.
