Dementia can be one of the most isolating diseases, and is fairly common in those over 60 – around 1/3rd of us will experience it in our lifetimes. Suffolk is striving to be as dementia-friendly as possible by encouraging businesses and organisations to welcome and provide for those with dementia.
In this page we have compiled a list of the dementia-friendly services and activities for 6 Suffolk towns that are exceptional examples of dementia friendly communities.
To search for dementia-friendly services and information in your area visit Dementia Together and filter searches by location.
You can also find out more about Dementia Care Services in Suffolk on the Age Space Suffolk Hub.
We would also like to bring attention to East of England Coop food stores, who are the largest independent retailer in the region and are committed to making there stores friendly to the elderly and those with dementia. They have stores throughout the region.
Dementia-Friendly Bury
Memory Cafés and Dementia-Friendly Eateries in Bury
- Memory Café – Gatehouse
- Tuesdays @ 1:30pm – 3:30pm
- Old Cannon Brewery
- Really Rather Good Coffee House – recently refurbished to better accommodate those with dementia
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment in Bury
- Abbey Gate Cinema – Dementia-Friendly Screenings
- Free Carer Ticket
- 20min interval
- Stepping Stone Group @ Gatehouse
- Tuesday Mornings 9:30am – 12:30pm
- First ‘step’ into full day service use for those with mild dementia
- Free Rickshaw Rides
- Chatty, volunteer-lead tour of Bury, including Abbey Gardens
- HeartSong – Music in Our Bones
- 3rd Friday of every month @ Bury Library
- 1pm – 3pm
Visit Bury’s Dementia Action Alliance page for more information and list of associated members.
Dementia-Friendly Exercise in Debenham
Considered to be one of the leading dementia-friendly communities in the East of England, The Debenham Project strives to give practical and emotional support to all in the area with dementia, while making their community as safe as possible to live in. Some of the activities they provide are:
- Fit Club
- Chair-based exercise therapy
- Various times (check upcoming events with link below)
- Cameo
- Gentle intellectual stimulation with games and quizzes in a social environment
- 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month
- 2pm – 4pm
- Dove Cottage, 39 High Street (inside St. Mary’s Churchyard)
Visit their website for a full list of activities and upcoming events.
Dementia-Friendly Activities in Hadleigh
Hadleigh’s Dementia Action Alliance boasts over 1800 dementia friends, 39 dementia-friendly businesses and retailers, and three weekly dementia inclusive social activities.
Memory Cafés and Dementia-Friendly Eateries in Hadleigh
- Ansell Memories Café
- For anyone with dementia or their carers looking for a relaxed lunch and fun activities
- Every Thursday
- 11am – 2:30pm
- The Hadleigh Ram
- Local dementia friendly restaurant
- Local dementia friendly restaurant
Dementia-Friendly Churches in Hadleigh
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment in Hadleigh
- Ansell Community Centre
- Hadleigh Annual Farm Show in May
- Dementia friendly Activities and Food Stalls
- Mobility vehicles are available to hire
- Hollow Trees Farm
- Petting zoo, farm tour, shop and café
- Meet Up Mondays
- Dementia Friendly Coffee Group
- Monday Mornings @ The George Hotel
- Together Tuesdays
- Fun dementia and elderly friendly activities
- Carpet Bowls, singing, chair-based exercises, crafts and more
- 2pm – 4pm @ Hadleigh Pool & Leisure
- Fun dementia and elderly friendly activities
Dementia-Friendly Ipswich
The County Town of Suffolk has a large amount of dementia accommodating services and activities and many Dementia Action Alliance Members.
Dementia Cafés in Ipswich
- Monday Memories
- 1st and 3rd Monday of each month
- 1pm – 4pm
- 426 Woodbridge Rd
- Friday Friends Dementia Café
- Activities, reminiscence therapy, lunch
- Fridays @ 10:30am – 2pm
- Whitehouse Baptist Church
- Morning only is £2.50, Lunch is £4
- Telephone to book: 01473 345350
- Forget Me Not Café
- Relaxed meet up for people with dementia and their carers
- Chantry Library
- 1st Friday of every month @ 10:30am – 12pm
- £1 for a drink and a biscuit
Dementia-Friendly Churches in Ipswich
- Castle Hill Reformed United Church
- Wednesday Lunch Club for the elderly
- Busy Fingers – Knitting & Sewing Group on varying Wednesday afternoons
- St Augustine’s Church
- Fish ‘n’ Chips Friday
- 2nd Friday of every month @ 11:45am – 3:15pm
- Accompanying care is necessary
- £6.50
- Telephone to check availability: 01473 712225
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment in Ipswich
- Ipswich Town Football Club
- Disabled and Dementia Friendly
- Call ahead of the game to make sure they can accommodate you
- Wolsey Theatre
- Accessible performances
- Red Rose Chain
- Dementia Friendly Theater Performances
- Music In Our Bones Singing Groups
- Music in Mind
- Open to all with long-term mental/physical health issues
- 1st and 3rd Monday of the Month
- 2pm – 4pm
- Lifting Spirits
- Women only singing group for those with long-term mental/physical health issues
- Music in Mind
- Sporting Memories
- Group for the 50s+
- Using sporting reminiscence techniques to engage the elderly and form friendships
- Mondays @ 10:30am – 12pm
- Quay Place, St Mary at the Quay
Dementia-Friendly Newmarket
Part of the Dementia Action Alliance with a large range of dementia friendly services, businesses and cultural activities. Home to the Day Care Centre (CIO) that welcomes the over 50s, including those with dementia, for enjoyment of various activities and lunch.
Dementia-Friendly Shopping in Newmarket
In addition to a branch of the East of England Coop, the Tesco Extra is a dementia action alliance member with dementia trained staff and in house café. There are also a large variety of local businesses and retailers signed up as ‘dementia friendly’ including butchers, hairdressers and electrical appliance shops. The Guineas Shopping Centre is also fully accessible and offers a mobility scooter hire facilities in the Newmarket Library within the centre. For a full list visit the Newmarket Dementia Action Alliance home page.
Dementia Cafés and Dementia Friendly Eateries in Newmarket
- Shine a Light Dementia Café
- 3rd Monday of each month
- 2pm – 4pm
- £3 per pair (carer and caree)
- The Pantry Fine Foods
- Dementia Friendly Restaurant
- Dementia Friendly Restaurant
Dementia-Friendly Churches in Newmarket
- All Saints Anglican Church
- Knit & Natter
- Every Monday Morning
- 10am – 12:30pm
- Knit & Natter
- St Agnes’ Church, Exning
- Our Lady Immaculate and Saint Etheldreda RC Church
- Film Nights – 3rd Wednesday of each month 7pm
- Free
- St Phillip’s and St Etheldreda’s Church
- Songs of Praise
- First Monday of each month @ 2:30pm
- First Monday of each month @ 2:30pm
- Songs of Praise
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment in Newmarket
- Newmarket Leisure Centre
- Dementia friendly exercise
- At The Stable Cinema
- Welcomes those with dementia
- Sporting Memories
- For over 50s who enjoy reminiscing about their experiences of watching/playing sport
- 2nd Friday of Each Month @ Racing Centre
- 10:30am – 12:00pm
- Helps support people through dementia and isolation
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment in Stowmarket
Stowmarket’s Dementia Action Alliance has a large list of businesses and organisations signed up as members, working to achieve a dementia friendly Stowmarket. As with the above towns, East of England Coop operates in Stowmarket, providing a safe and accessible shopping experience for those with mobility limitations and dementia.
The Gladstone Arms is one eatery that is dedicated to being dementia friendly. They ask that you mention your needs ahead of of your meal so that their staff can best accommodate you.
Dementia-Friendly Entertainment
- Stowmarket Library
- Rookery Bowls Club – Community Bowls
- Dementia-specific bowling kit available
- Sporting Memories Group
- Cedars Park Community Centre
- Wednesday @ 10:30am – 12:15pm
- Regal Stowmarket Cinema
- Relaxed Film performances
- Undergoing Refurbishment to open in Dec 2020
