New cafe is social success for residents at Jarrow care home

Maisie’s Cafe has opened its doors to residents of Roseway House in Jarrow and their families.

The venture is being run by residents, and aims to give those visiting relatives or friends an alternative place to sit and socialise.

The home in Wear Street has named its cafe after one of its former residents, Maisie Spoor, as a lasting tribute to the 100-year-old, who died in 2017.

The cafe has been created in one of the rooms Maisie spent a lot of time in while she lived at the home.

Pauline Fraser, a support worker at Roseway House, said: “The room where the cafe is now based wasn’t used that much.

“We wanted to do something which would help to improve the socialising aspect for our residents, which is where the cafe idea came from.

“It also gives families a place they can go with their relatives and enjoy a cuppa and a slice of cake or a sandwich, other than in their room or lounge.”

“The cafe is run by residents, for residents and their families.”

The cafe was officially opened by Maisie’s daughter Iris Owen on Tuesday.

Despite being open for only a matter of days, it is already proving to be a success.

Pauline added: “We have had really positive feedback from our residents, who are both volunteering to run and using the cafe.

“It’s about creating a home from home for our residents and a place where they can interact with one another different from sitting in a lounge. It has such a lovely atmosphere.”

The cafe is run entirely by donations, and is open between the hours of 10am and 3pm.

It is hoped that in the future the cafe will become an integrated dementia cafe.

Roseway House already has its own playgroup for toddlers and their parents, where youngsters interact with the home’s residents.

The inter-generational playgroup is named Rosebuds, and holds sessions every Thursday morning from 9.30 to 11am.

Roseway House, run by Marioposa, provides nursing, residential, dementia and respite care, with 48 ensuite rooms for its residents.