In Città di Castello, the 'Alzheimer's Café' fights isolation.

The "Caffè Alzheimer" project, conceived by the "La Rondine" cooperative, has been launched in Città di Castello. The cooperative funded the project entirely by building a wooden house in the centuries-old park of the "Muzi Betti" nursing home.

The "Alzheimer's Café" was created to combat isolation by offering emotional support and practical tools for coping with the disease. With this project, and others to follow, all within the Muzi Betti residence (a laboratory for innovative experiments, including the first newsstand in Italy with newspaper and book reading), the La Rondine cooperative aims to provide the geriatric facility with specific support for family members and residents with Alzheimer's. This support is provided by its staff of psychologists and psychotherapists, coordinated by Valentina Tellini in close collaboration with the Local Health Authority (USL Umbria 1) and with the scientific support of Alberto Trequattrini, neurologist and psychiatrist, and head of the simple cognitive disorders unit at the same Local Health Authority (USL Umbria 1).

The first Alzheimer's Café event kicked off yesterday afternoon at the wooden house. This series of monthly meetings, held every first Wednesday of the month from July to November 2025, is free and open to all residents, with no need for a medical diagnosis, certification, or referral. "This is not a clinical service, but an informal and protected space where we can discuss dementia-related issues together, with appropriate tools and valuable relationships," the City Council emphasized during the first meeting, attended by Mayor Luca Secondi and Councilor for Social Policies Benedetta Calagreti, according to the City Council.

The initiative, as project coordinator Tellini and cooperative president Luciano Veschi explained, is aimed at family members of people with Alzheimer's or other forms of cognitive decline, people experiencing the disease firsthand in its early stages, professionals in the field, volunteers, and citizens interested in better understanding these realities. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic, addressed in an accessible and participatory manner, with an informative portion and a workshop section focused on cognitive stimulation, connection, storytelling, and sharing.

The project's goal, the promoters explained, is to break the isolation that often accompanies the families and individuals involved, offering a stable space for listening, discussion, and support, which fosters awareness, empowerment, and a sense of community.