CULTIVATING CARE: A Memory Cafe at Hoʻola Aina Pilipili Accessible School & Community Garden

Presenters:

Melody Halzel, PhD, MPH, is a public health researcher and community practitioner whose work focuses on accessible garden interventions that support the well-being of older adults, including people living with dementia, and their caregivers. She serves as Project Coordinator for the Cultivating Care Memory Café, an ʻāina-based dementia-friendly program at the Ho‘ōla ‘Āina Pilipili accessible community garden at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She earned her PhD in Public Health from UH, specializing in Community-Based and Translational Research. She also holds an MPH in Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and a certificate in Disability and Diversity Studies. Her research focuses on the design, implementation, and impact of dementia-friendly gardens and nature-based programs that promote inclusion, social connection, and healthy aging.

Dr. Christy Nishita is a Gerontologist and Researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi Center on Aging. She received her PhD in Gerontology from the University of Southern California. She has an extensive background in long-term care coordination, caregiving, senior housing, Alzheimer’s disease support programs, intergenerational programming, and age-friendly community development. She is the co-founder and co-coordinator of the Kūpuna Collective, which is a social incubator and network of over 200 kūpuna-serving organizations and 500 individuals in Hawaii.

The presenters will cover:

• What is a Memory Café, and how Cultivating Care came to be
• Hoʻala Aina Pilipili and Inclusive Garden Design (Accessible and Dementia-Friendly)
• Benefits of Nature-Based and Sensory Experiences to improve well-being, relaxation, social connection, physical activity, and quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers
• Memory Cafes and Participant Experiences (gardening, workshops, arts & crafts, music, and more)
• Program Outcomes and Community Impact, opportunities to visit, participate or develop similar programs
• Other Memory Cafes in Hawaiʻi

The Zoom link will be sent via email after your registration or order is completed. Another confirmation and Zoom link will be provided along with handouts and a reminder prior to June 19.