Memory Matters CIC are a provider of activity clubs, training, and resources in the specialist field of dementia care.  Run by nurses, the organisation has a sensitive and professional insight into the issues that affect people with dementia, their families, and carers.

Memory Matters approached McCaren Interiors having identified an opportunity to improve dementia-friendly facilities in the South West.  We were appointed to work collaboratively on the design of a Nostalgia Café and Training Rooms, a pilot project for the organisation and for Plymouth, initially funded by the Social Enterprise Fund.

Our commission involved the design of dementia-friendly spaces within the new café, to harness the therapeutic benefits of reminiscence for people with dementia, their families, and the wider public.  Adopting best practice to provide comfortable spaces for people with heightened sensitivity to unfamiliar environments, whilst also providing rich sources of stimulation for reminiscence were key challenges with the project brief.

Our design involved the creation of four seating zones, themed by decade and styled with furniture and fittings to promote  memory triggers and talking points for customers.  Original vintage items were incorporated in a scheme that also included commercial-grade tables, seating, and flooring, to create a fun, functional environment welcoming those living with dementia and the general public alike.