Investigation of the Factors of Attendance and Continuous to Participate in Dementia Café among Community-Dwelling Seniors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the details of how community-dwelling seniors who have currently been attending dementia café, first decided to visit and continue attending dementia café.

A semi-structured interview using an interview guide was carried out from August to September 2017 for 10 community-dwelling seniors attending a dementia café organized by NPO corporation in city A. The interview focused on what brought these seniors to decide on attending and continue attending the café. All interviews were recorded and transcribed, and a qualitative inductive analysis was conducted.

The results suggested attending dementia café would provide enjoyable experience including extended interaction with others and learning more in depth, improved consciousness of health and preventive care, and desire to contribute to the local society; hence, seniors would continue attending dementia café. Moreover, given that seniors attending dementia caf?s themselves are aware of their contribution to the local society and solidarity with others, it is possible that attending seniors can be key people who support the local area. Furthermore, the social capital in the local community can be fostered through a dementia café as a community café that any residents can attend.