Garden City brand and communications manager Giselle Posilero, Coffea Fine Espresso owner Euro Lumb, Alzheimer’s WA chief executive Rhonda Parker, Wendy Glance and City of Melville community development officers Veronica Clarke and Deena Lazzari.
Camera IconGarden City brand and communications manager Giselle Posilero, Coffea Fine Espresso owner Euro Lumb, Alzheimer’s WA chief executive Rhonda Parker, Wendy Glance and City of Melville community development officers Veronica Clarke and Deena Lazzari. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Booragoon: Garden City Memory Cafe instigator’s life honoured

Aaron CorlettMelville Gazette

THE instigator of the Memory Cafe at Garden City Shopping Centre was honoured today.

Ardross resident Keith Glance helped set up WA’s first Memory Cafe at Coffea Fine Espresso following a speech with his wife Wendy in July 2017, which outlined the need for the service.

Mr Glance passed away in December 2018 after being diagnosed with younger onset dementia at 52 years old in 2012.

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Representatives from Alzheimer’s WA, City of Melville and AMP joined carers to pay tribute to Mr Glance at the cafe.

The Memory Cafe is run at the business on the last Tuesday of each month between 9.30am and 11am and is designed as a supportive space for people living with dementia to come together.

Mrs Glance said the July 2017 speech, during the unveiling of Alzheimer’s WA’s Guidelines for the Development of Dementia Friendly Communities, included the idea that people living with dementia wanted somewhere they could go and feel normal.

“By the time we got home after the speech we had a call from the City of Melville via AMP who wanted to get the Memory Cafe started,” she said.

“It was up and running after six months and they involved us in all the meetings and asked us what was important to include at the cafe.

“He was so proud of himself and he only missed four meetings before he passed away.”

Mrs Glance said it was “beautiful” to gather everyone together and honour her husband.

“He is here with us,” she said.

Alzheimer’s WA chief executive Rhonda Parker said Mr Glance’s contribution would always be remembered.

“There are so many reasons why the café is successful and it was a great example to set for the other 10 cafes that came after it,” she said.

“The City was committed to making it happen and Coffea Fine Espresso owner Euro Lumb trained his staff to help people living with dementia.”