Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Miller
Hi Kristen , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve worked in geriatrics for the past 16 years and am very passionate about caring for individuals with dementia. I heard of the Memory Cafe concept about 3 years ago- it was an idea developed by Dr. Bere Miesen in the Netherlands in 1997- and thought it would be a wonderful program to have here in Memphis. I spent about a year trying to convince other groups around town to start one, but kept hearing things like, “we don’t have the budget or the staff for that”. So, I decided to pilot the program under my business, Midsouth Aging Consultant. In the first 8 months, it grew from one location to three, and people were really starting to catch on to the idea. I knew it had a lot of potential, so I formed a non-profit, Memory Makers of the Midsouth, in order to manage and grow the Memory Cafes. We now have 9 locations all over Memphis and Shelby County offering free programs for people with dementia and their caregivers.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Running a non-profit is definitely not a smooth road. Funding for a new concept in its first year has been extremely difficult to find. It has also been a challenge to get the word out that we exist and that we bring a much-needed resource right to where people live so they don’t have to go all over town to find it. However, we’ve been hard at work this year with an aggressive outreach campaign, and now we’re starting to see that effort pay off.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Memory Makers of the Midsouth?
Memory Makers of the Midsouth provides free programs for those with dementia and their caregivers through our Memory Cafe program. The Memory Cafe is a special time where they can come together to a safe space and enjoy a program of meaningful, therapeutic activities, get information about the diseases that cause dementia and caregiving, and meet others who are on a similar journey. It is a time for both of them to be able to “leave the diagnosis at the door”, take a break from caregiving tasks, and just enjoy being together. The Memory Cafe is all about making those joyful moments of connection that are so often lost to diseases like Alzheimer’s, and meeting people where they are. Memory Makers also provides a monthly caregiver support group and free educational seminars on brain health.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The best advice I can give came from my friend Herbie Krisle, the Executive Director of Page Robbins adult day center. She said that no matter what, always stay true to the mission. Always remember why you do what you do, because trust me, there are days when I get discouraged and I wonder why I ever got into the non-profit world. It’s the why- seeing the joy on our participants’ faces, seeing them be proud of their art projects, hearing stories from their past, and hearing gratitude from the caregivers- those are the treasures to hold on to.
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.memorymakersmidsouth.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095249851970
