“Navigator Cafe”

Here at 4 Hotham Road, Sorrento

Welcome to all our Families

Our cafés are all managed, operated and staffed by Umbrella Dementia Cafés with crucial support from local volunteer teams.

 Every Café is fully supported by a team of strong volunteers with an understanding about dementia (personal or professional). Together we work under one supportive umbrella facilitating greater social connections between people living with dementia, their family and their community.

Through our dementia cafés model, we empower people living with dementia to regain autonomy, boost their self-esteem and improve their wellbeing. Members enjoy new connections through shared experience, activities or values, and enrich existing connections in an environment that encourages genuine conversation.

Check out the current scheduled program - 2025 “Navigator Cafe” program

To support our ever-growing number of families seeking support, we are always looking for more volunteers at our meetings. Here’s a little write-up for those interested in the volunteer role.

Navigator” Volunteer Job Description

Monday August 4th,

A very special day for us.

It is our first meeting at our new “home”.

Magnificent sunshine for the very happy crew at the Hangar, with 8 families in attendance.

We felt very welcome and an immediate feeling that this was “home”.  

There was plenty to chat about and to enjoy the morning together.

What happens at a Cafe?


9:00: The Facilitator and Volunteers will set up the meeting place
10:00 - 10:15: It's welcome to the Families

(Some serious hugging occurs)

10:15 or so: Time for a cup of tea/coffee to hear any program and personal updates
10:30: The partner (carer) will go into the Hangar "office" for discussion around their roles as carer and issues they may have.
10:30: With the partners away, the volunteers lead activities for those men and women living with dementia. A variety of entertaining but challenging activities will be tried.
11:30: It's back together for the very popular music and dance time. Beware, everyone is "singing" and/or "dancing".
12:00: It's time to close (and more hugging!!).

Warm farewells to the families while the volunteers restore the Hangar for the next PNMSA activity.