Golden Wattle Club

Last month we visited the Golden Wattle Club, which holds a weekly not-for-profit dementia café located in Glenorchy, founded by two ISLAND participants...

Golden Wattle Club
We love seeing what our ISLAND participants get up to, especially when it is relevant to the work we do here at the Wicking Dementia Centre. Last month we visited the Golden Wattle Club, which holds a weekly not-for-profit dementia café located in Glenorchy, founded by two ISLAND participants. The cafe provides a safe space for people living with dementia and their carers to socialise with others, while offering a delicious morning tea. It is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, who organise interesting talks, live music, games and other activities their guests may find enjoyable. They also have an advocate with lived experience, Lil, who provides guidance on the direction of the café. 

At our visit, Associate Professor Alison Canty from the Wicking Dementia Centre presented on some of the science behind dementia and the modifiable risk factors, which proved to be very popular. It was a great way to engage with the local community while chatting to people living with dementia. The founders of the café, Agnes and Liz, have further connection with the Wicking Dementia Centre as Agnes completed the Bachelor of Dementia Care in 2018 and Liz aims to graduate with the same qualification at the end of this year. Throughout the course they have been able to directly implement their learnings into the running of the cafe. The team are enthusiastic about the work they do and enjoy volunteering their time to such a worthwhile cause. By volunteering, they are not only helping people who attend the café, they are also able to learn something new and socialise, both of which may decrease their own risk of dementia!

Here at the ISLAND Project, we love being in the community and spreading the word about dementia prevention. If you are involved in a community organisation that would be interested in learning more about dementia and dementia risk please let us know by following this link and using the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Are you interested in volunteering? For more information check out Volunteering Tasmania for opportunities near you. If you are in Hobart and want to support the Golden Wattle Club, they are always on the lookout for new volunteers so feel free to contact them through their website