HUNTINGTON — Every Wednesday at Stanton Hall, a community event is held with two special missions: helping people with memory issues with art and music, and providing support for those who care for them.
While the Hilltown Memory Cafe is open to all people regardless of memory problems, the art and music activities offered at the cafe serve the valuable purpose of helping those dealing with dementia and other ailments that affect memory.
“It brings people back,” said Huntington Council on Aging Chairwoman Kathleen Peterson. “Art activities bring people back.”
At the cafe’s most recent event, singer and guitarist Ed Bentley of Westfield performed for about an hour. Bentley played songs that included Dion and the Belmonts’ “Teenager In Love” and Kenny Rogers’ “Lucille,” both of which had members of the audience singing along. Maracas also were made available, which were shaken in time to the music throughout the performance.
Between songs, Bentley offered humorous asides and observations to the audience. The mid-afternoon event did not feature a caregiver support group meeting out of a desire for caregivers to also get to enjoy the music. Bentley said music has a good effect and that it keeps his own brain from “degenerating.”
“I probably had more than fun than most of the people in the room,” he said.
As for how he selects his songs, Bentley said he tries to figure out what the crowd is looking for and that most people like hearing songs from when they were younger.
Dave Junkins showed up to the cafe for the first time on Wednesday, and he brought his neighbor Tom Lasard.
“We’re both having memory problems,” said Junkins, 70.
Both men also said that they would be returning to the cafe.
Eileen Magliola and her husband, Bruce Magliola, were returning attendees to the cafe, and Eileen said it’s important for her husband to talk to people other than herself.
Eileen said she and her husband loved the music, and that she hopes more people take advantage of the memory cafe.
“It’s really nice,” she said.
Jean Wall and her husband, Robert Wall, came to the cafe to be supportive of Peterson, of the Council on Aging.
“I have a friend with dementia,” said Jean, who explained that the friend doesn’t come to the cafe unless she does.
The memory cafe launched in December, and Wednesday’s concert was its fifth event.
Crystal Wright-Partyka is the facilitator for the cafe’s caregiver support group and is the main contact for senior outreach with the Huntington Council on Aging. Wright-Partyka was the caregiver for her mother, who died in May at age 100, and she said that she saw how helpful art and music was to her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
“It’s amazing what it can do,” Wright-Partyka said of music.
She also said the effect of art and music on those suffering from memory issues can almost be akin to reverting to childhood.
Peterson said the positive effects of music aren’t just restricted to the event.
“When they go home they’re more communicative,” she said.
Wright-Partyka said that when she was taking care of her mother, she couldn’t bring her along if she wanted to go to a caregiver support group.
“I used to complain about that all the time,” she said.
This is in contrast to the support group at the cafe, which provides activities for caregivers’ charges while the group meets.
“In this way, the person’s right there,” Wright-Partyka said.“It gives the caregiver a break.”
Eileen Magliola also spoke approvingly of being able to take her husband to the cafe while she goes to the support group.
“That’s very important to me,” she said.
She said her husband suffers from memory issues, and that being able to talk to people who understand what she’s dealing with has been valuable.
“It’s been really good for me,” Magliola said. “It’s really good to talk to other people who are going through the same thing.”
She also said that while her husband hasn’t been enjoying going, attributing this to there not being many men there, she said that he did like going Wednesday.
“I think he’s coming around,” she said. “He really seems to enjoy music.”
All Hilltown Memory Cafe events take place from 2 to 3 p.m. every Wednesday at Stanton Hall. For live music, Sarah the Fiddler is scheduled to play on March 16, and a drummer may be performing at a February cafe.
“I hope more people come,” Magliola said
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.