An award-winning specialist dementia care home in Abingdon has seen visitors to its community memory café form lasting friendships, with one of its very first guests now proudly calling the home her own.
Bridge House Care Home, on Thames View, has 71 en-suite bedrooms and provides residential, nursing, specialist dementia and palliative care. The home has run its Butterflies Memory Café every month since June 2023, welcoming members of the community living with memory loss, along with their families and carers.
One of the café's very first visitors was Rosemary Rayner, 86, who began attending with her daughter three years ago before coming regularly for day care and later moving into the home in October 2024.
"The Butterflies Memory Café is a lot of fun," she said. "There is always something different to do.
"It is remarkable that it has been running for three years. It gives people in the community somewhere to come and enjoy days like today, with the live music. We get to keep seeing new people too."
Held on the last Tuesday of every month in the home's bistro, the free café is run by the home's skilled and highly trained team. Residents, their friends and family members also join in, with attendees enjoying a varied programme of themed activities, guest speakers and entertainment. The café gives people the opportunity to share experiences, make new friendships and support one another.
Debbie cares for her partner Pete, 84.
“Being responsible 24/7 is difficult,” she said. “Seeking help, support and people who are going through the same experience is important. A friend recommended the Butterflies Memory Café to me and I love the people and the environment. Everyone is understanding and the knowledgeable team are so helpful. We enjoy meeting new people and it gets us out.”
The café now has around 15 regular attendees. Several visitors have since benefitted from day care at the home or, like Rosemary, have become residents.
Dave cares for his wife Liz, 78, who was diagnosed with dementia three years ago. After visiting the café Liz has since attended day care at the home.
“It is difficult to deal with short-term memory loss as it can last just 30 seconds,” Dave said. “I am confident Liz is being looked after when she is at Bridge House and it gives me reassurance for the future if Liz ever needs extra care. I think it’s important to be adaptable and patient and never forget the power of touch, hidden memories or music.”
The home prides itself on its strong relationships with the Abingdon community and helping residents maintain meaningful connections. Their ‘Friends of Bridge House’ initiative has forged more than 70 partnerships with local businesses and community groups, ensuring residents remain actively involved in local life. The Butterflies Memory Café is just one example of this.
Lysette cares for her mum, Terry, 90, who was diagnosed two years ago. They discovered the café after Dementia Oxfordshire, one of the home’s partners, recommended it to them.
“I think it helps to find some humour in the situation,” Lysette said. “Mum loves the café so we keep coming back. Everyone is so friendly, thoughtful and kind. I can bring Mum here and know all her needs will be taken care of. I’m so grateful to the team for everything they have done in creating this space for us to enjoy.”
Bridge House holds a Platinum Status in the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care, reflecting the highest level of quality in this area and they have an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), a distinction achieved by only a small percentage of care homes in England. Last year, the home won ‘Team of the Year’ at the Oxfordshire Care Awards.
The importance of initiatives such as the Butterflies Memory Café is supported by the Wellbeing and Health for people with Dementia (WHELD) programme, which found that increasing social interaction to just ten minutes a day improved the wellbeing of people living with dementia in care homes.
The home’s lifestyle & Riverly Club manager, Chantelle Merritt, has pioneered the café.
She said, “The café is thriving and we are so proud of it being part of a support network in Abingdon. As a dementia specialist care home, we feel it is important that people feel supported throughout every stage of the dementia journey and have places where they can connect with others, enhance their wellbeing and continue enjoying life.
“We support everyone with empathy, compassion and understanding, and we always want people to feel safe, welcomed and supported. We have seen new friendships blossom and it means so much to us that some of our café visitors have gone on to make Bridge House their home because they already felt so comfortable here. That is incredibly special.”
