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2020 is here! The New Year is always a time to reflect on the most recent trip around the sun and to look ahead to the next orbit. Today, I plan to do both. (Hint: the 2nd part is a favor I need to ask… I want you to help me set Memory Cafe Directory’s direction for 2020 and beyond!)
Part 1: Where We Are
Memory Cafe Directory ended 2019 with over 800 Memory Cafe listings! 803 to be exact. Here’s how it breaks down by country:
- 702 – United States
- 60 – United Kingdom
- 28 – Canada
- 13 – Australia
First of all, this is wonderful! Hundreds of Memory Cafes operating around the world are helping thousands of people enjoy dementia-friendly outings. Personally, I am very proud to be able to provide this forum to help make these connections.
While these are positive numbers, it also tells us we have much, much more work to do to identify more Memory Cafes around the world!
Let’s break down these numbers a bit more.
US States with Most Memory Cafe Listings
See the Infographic below. Feel free to use it on your own website, but please link back to Memory Cafe Directory.
1) Wisconsin (135)
2) Massachusetts (120)
3) UK: South West (46)
4) Illinois (40)
T5) Minnesota (35)
T5) Washington (35)
T5) Texas (35)
United Kingdom
While there is plenty of opportunity in the “rest of the world” there is encouraging activity inside the countries already represented. In the U.K., listings come mostly from the South West, with a splattering of listings in other regions.
- 46 – South West
- 3 – North East
- 3 – North West
- 2 – Eastern England
- 2 – Yorkshire & The Humber
- 1 – Greater London
- 1 – West Midlands
This is a good start, but since the U.K. was introduced to Memory Cafes long before us here in North America, I would wager they should have considerably more!
Canada
Canada’s 28 listings come from just 3 provinces:
- 16 – New Brunswick
- 7 – Ontario
- 5 – Alberta
This doesn’t tell me there aren’t very many – this says there are many provinces still to list their Memory Cafes! The challenge is how to identify them so they can be listed.
Australia
Our friends Down Under are the most recent addition to Memory Cafe Directory, and as such, they have the fewest number of listings. However, that overall number appears to be unrealistically low since they all come from one state:
- 13 – Western Australia
It really doesn’t matter which part of the world is represented in Memory Cafe Directory. The number of listings is directly related to how many people know about this free resource. Please share with your family, friends, and colleagues, and tell them about Memory Cafe Directory as a tool to help them raise their Memory Cafe visibility.
You’ve heard me say many times that “the more who know, the more who can benefit!”
“The more who know, the more who can benefit!”
Speaking of “the more who know…” There’s been recent inquiries from wonderful people in Brazil and New Zealand who are interested in getting started with Memory Cafes there. I can’t wait to expand our international listings. Wow!
Share Like in Daycare
I have a good friend who says this and felt it was appropriate here. Please see the infographic below with my synopsis of Memory Cafe listings. Feel free to place is on your own website. All I ask is that you link back to this page. Thank you!
Part 2: Where We’re Going
In Part 1, I shared some stats on where we are with Memory Cafe listings in the Directory. This is still the primary purpose of Memory Cafe Directory and I have never been more committed to continuing — and growing — this important resource.
Keep relying on it, and I will keep providing it. Deal? Deal!
While the Directory is the heart and soul, I’ve been trying to add more value through additional content. Here’s some of the things I’ve started in two distinct categories:
Caregiver Resources
In addition to Memory Cafe listings, the Caregiver Resources section provides other valuable nuggets of information valuable to the dementia caregiver.
Memory Cafe Resources
This is a more recent category, sharing items that could be helpful to those simply wanting to know more about Memory Cafes, how to start their own, and once started how to promote and expand.
The material in this area is a direct result of answering many questions on these topics.
Memory Cafe Spotlight
Coming soon is a new category called Memory Cafe Spotlight. This will be a “best practice sharing” section that allows Memory Cafe operators to share their most successful practices with the intention of helping others with ideas to improve their own operations.
I’ve been in discussion with several organizations, so watch for this to launch early in 2020.
The Favor
Now that I’ve pointed out what additional content is available on Memory Cafe Directory, it is time to ask you for your opinion:
What Do You Want?
Yes, Memory Cafe listings will continue (and if all goes well, they will continue to grow!) The broader questions are about what would help you the most. This is where I need your help. Tell me:
- What kind of problem in your daily routine would you like to get solved?
- What kind of information would be helpful to you?
- Do you prefer to read online, or would you like to watch video? Or both options?
- Would listening to the additional content be helpful, like maybe a podcast?
These are just a few of the ideas kicking around in my head. Please let me know if any of these would be valuable to you. Better yet, what have I missed that you would like to see?
I am committed to making Memory Cafe Directory even more valuable to you. I just need direction.
How You Can Help
There are many ways you can provide your input. I chose NOT to create a structured survey. I would like to hear your ideas, rather than serve up specific topics and ask you to choose. Please select whichever of these methods work best for you:
- Add a comment below this post (It won’t go live immediately. I monitor every comment since I get so much SPAM. You’ll usually see your comment within 24 hours.)
- Send email to me directly at info@MemoryCafeDirectory.com
- Use the CONTACT PAGE (this is usually for Memory Cafe submissions, but it comes to me just the same. Please use this method if you prefer.)
If anonymity is important to you, you can use the CONTACT PAGE and just provide a phony email address. Anything to get your input!
Happy New Year
Thank you all for your continued support. I appreciate the new listings and excited to update existing ones. It’s important to keep the information up to date. Activity surrounding all sorts of changes (adds, changes, removals) continues to grow, so that tells me we’re on the right track!
InfoGraphic
I hope you enjoy the recap I created to give you a sense of where we are with Memory Cafe Directory. That InfoGraphic is shown below. If you would like place this on your own website, please use the code shown at the bottom of the page and link back to Memory Cafe Directory. Thank you!
My very best to you for 2020!
Dave Wiederrich
Memory Cafe Directory
Feel free to share this image on your website!
