Humboldt Senior Resource Center to launch Memory Cafés in Eureka, Fortuna

Families in Eureka and Fortuna who are living with memory loss will soon have a new place to gather without the pressure of a formal appointment. Humboldt Senior Resource Center plans monthly Memory Cafés for people with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or other brain conditions, along with caregivers, relatives and friends who often carry the weight of isolation.

The Eureka Memory Café will meet at Heritage Café, 1910 California Street, on the third Friday of each month beginning June 19 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended, and HSRC says people can call 707-443-9747 for more information. The organization also says the gatherings will be informal, with friendly conversation, social time and simple activities such as music, games, art or storytelling.

HSRC says anyone experiencing memory loss due to any condition is welcome. The program is designed not just for the person living with cognitive change, but for the people around them, too: caregivers, family members and friends who often need a place to connect with others facing the same daily challenges.

That matters in Humboldt County, where care often stretches across long distances and mixed schedules. HSRC’s Adult Day Health & Alzheimer’s Services program already operates two centers, in Eureka and Fortuna, and says its adult day health care serves qualified disabled adults age 18 and older. The service area runs from Scotia to Trinidad and inland to Blue Lake and Carlotta, while also offering support and resources for caregivers in the community.

The Memory Café expansion builds on an existing senior network HSRC has been reshaping for years. In 2022, the organization reconfigured its senior dining centers into Heritage Cafés, including locations in Eureka, Arcata and Fortuna. The new Memory Cafés will extend that familiar model into a setting aimed specifically at memory loss, giving local families a recurring place to sit down, talk and spend time together without having to navigate the isolation that so often comes with cognitive decline.