Stephanie Nock, the Needham Community Council’s new dementia care partner support program manager, described the Council’s new outreach effort to the Needham Commission on Disabilities on Oct. 21.

Nock said the program aims "to create a more inclusive, compassionate community for those affected by dementia" by raising awareness, providing resources and building connections for caregivers. She described Memory Cafes and an hour-long Dementia Friends informational training she will lead across the town.

Nock opened by defining dementia for the commission: "Dementia is the general term for loss of memory, language, problem solving, and other thinking abilities," and added that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. She said Needham’s diagnosed rate for adults 65 and older is 15.4 percent, citing the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Data Report, and noted the local rate exceeds the state average. Nock said the Council convened focus groups and interviews with about 25 experts and care partners and found caregivers often feel "isolated," overwhelmed and stigmatized while navigating services.

The program launched publicly in September 2025 after staff and consultants reviewed community health needs. Nock said the Council’s Memory Cafe — a social gathering for people living with dementia and their care partners — started meeting monthly in September. The Memory Cafe will meet on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Needham Public Library community room off Rosemary Street; the format includes a refreshment period followed by music, movement, arts or other activities.

Nock described the Memory Cafe model’s history and purpose: created to reduce fear and stigma, the cafes focus on social connection rather than clinical intervention. "We may have forgotten your name, but we remember love," she quoted from an advocate as a guiding phrase for the gatherings.

The Commission’s members asked about outreach and frequency. Commission member Lynn Rodman, speaking from personal experience, asked how often the trainings and informational sessions will be held and whether local groups can host them. Nock said sessions are free and already being scheduled at town locations, churches and municipal departments. She said she had conducted a public session and a staff training at the library and is meeting with various departments and neighborhood groups to expand reach.

Nock also summarized Dementia Friends Massachusetts, a global awareness program she’ll deliver as a champion: "It’s an hour-long informational session" that explains five key messages, including that dementia is not a normal part of aging and that "it’s possible to live well with dementia." She said the session is aimed at the general community and is not intended as advanced professional training.

Commission members offered to publicize the program; the Commission’s co-chair thanked Nock and said commissioners would help spread the word. Nock said resources will be available at events and that Memory Cafe activities will include dance, sing-alongs and arts such as a pottery project planned for February.

The Commission did not take formal action during the presentation but invited questions and offered to coordinate outreach.

The Needham Community Council contacts and a schedule of the Memory Cafe and Dementia Friends sessions were referenced in the presentation; specifics on future session dates and a townwide outreach calendar were not fully enumerated during the meeting.

Ending

The commission encouraged the Council to continue outreach and to share handouts and session times so members can help publicize the Memory Cafe and Dementia Friends training across Needham.