Date and Time: Tuesday, May 12th 6:30-7:30pm
Chairperson(s): Laurie Cecchi, OT
Location: Zoom - link to be sent out day before the event
Title: Establishing a Memory Café in a Local Senior Center: An Occupational Therapy Approach
Speaker: Laurie Cecchi, OT
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the role of occupational therapy in designing and facilitating a Memory Café program for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.
2. Identify key steps in establishing a Memory Café, including community needs assessment, program planning, and partnership development.
3. Develop strategies for implementing sustainable, occupation-based activities that promote engagement, social participation, and well-being.
Bio/Focus: Laurie Cecchi, OT, OTR, CDCS (Certified Dementia Care Specialist) is a highly respected dementia specialist with 35 years of experience in clinical practice. With a strong passion for improving the quality of life for individuals affected by dementia, Laurie has dedicated her career to advancing knowledge, care practices, and policy changes in this critical area. Laurie is currently a full-time professor at Springfield Technical Community College in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. Prior to her employment at STCC, she worked for more than a decade on the national clinical practice team for Genesis Rehab Services, serving as the Massachusetts dementia consultant for more than 20facilities throughout the state. Laurie has been a featured speaker at both national and state conferences where she has shared insights on aging in place with individuals living with dementia, effective therapeutic approaches, and early identification. Laurie is currently the Chair of the Council on Aging in Agawam, Massachusetts and volunteers monthly in the following programs that she has established: Caregivers Connect, which meets monthly, a support group for caregivers of people living with dementia, Reading Room Book Club, established almost 2 years ago that meets the monthly, and leads the Cherished Memories Café one time per month, a memory café for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
References:
1. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.).
2. Alzheimer’s Association. (2023). Dementia care practice recommendations.
3. Greenwood, N., & Smith, R. (2016). The experiences of people with dementia in Memory Cafés: A qualitative study. Aging & Mental Health,20(12), 1244–1251.
This event will be closed day before event. Please register by 4:00PM on 05/11/2026.
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