江苏无锡：从一杯咖啡的“定制关怀”到“养老服务”的融入 Wuxi, Jiangsu: From "customized care" for a cup of coffee to the integration of "elderly care services"

居家养老服务站与咖啡馆相结合，会带来什么样的体验？咖啡师不再是年轻帅气的小伙和姑娘，而是一群有着岁月痕迹的长者，又会带来什么样的感觉？

在无锡市新吴区江溪街道景渎社区，一家“记忆咖啡馆”即将开业，作为无锡首家以银龄长者为主力志愿者的咖啡馆，这里将被打造成一个新的老年康养港湾，通过全新的模式让老年人走出家门，融入社区，降低罹患认知症的风险。

居家养老服务站变身咖啡馆

在欧典家园西门口，有一处景渎社区的居家养老服务站。不过，最近这里的门头有所变化。门口有带logo的红色雨篷，下面还有两张长条座椅。空气中飘来的不是寻常的饭菜香，而是一缕缕醇厚的咖啡香气。

走到里面，磨豆机、咖啡机、奶缸等各种设备整齐摆放，一群五六十岁的长者身着统一的服装，正在咖啡师的帮助下，学习各种咖啡及牛乳饮品制作技艺。当天，他们正在学习制作水飞蓟姜姜南非牛乳茶，要加牛奶、厚奶、水飞蓟和姜黄等，“牛奶8分满，姜黄3克。”有人手中拿着配方纸，认真地拿着奶缸进行学习。

在另一边的落座区，有多个四人座的小圆桌，靠窗处则是一长条高脚桌椅。里面的时光博物馆里放着社区居民捐来的樟木箱、缝纫机、汤婆子等怀旧老物件。墙上挂着一本1985年的挂历，这里还有一排玻璃展柜，里面放着上世纪用过的粮票、有百年历史的地契等，也都是居民捐过来的。

81岁的何阿婆看着这些记忆中熟悉的物件，忍不住说，这些她家里也有呢。她平时每天中午11点左右就会来这里等老伙伴一起打牌，到下午4点再回家。“这里人多、热闹，有免费的空调、茶水，还有人聊天说话。”何阿婆表示，让老年生活显得不那么难挨，如今变成咖啡馆后，这里的活动属性没有变，但环境更好，人也更多了。

景渎社区的负责人唐晓燕表示，这是社区和一家连锁咖啡品牌碰撞出的新点子。当时，她听说，源自荷兰的记忆咖啡馆是一种风靡国际的创新养老模式，尤其在老龄化严重的日本，老年认知症长者在这里放松、参与简单活动，家属可以在这里获得信息、分享经验、减压；社区居民则在这里了解认知症，消除偏见。在景渎社区，老年人占比超20%，能否引入这样的模式呢？为此，社区召开了多次议事会议，居民们表示，在不改变居家养老服务站原有功能的基础上可以尝试。

从今年4月开始，服务站进行了重新设计和装修。来自品牌方的相关负责人陈威龙表示，他们结合自身的咖啡经营和养老服务方面的经验，在这里打造一个新的咖啡品牌，希望从无锡起步，慢慢走向更多的地方。

一大拨银龄志愿者抢着来

“我今年54岁，喝咖啡有30年了。”在咖啡馆的培训区，打扮精致的张宽荣很引人注目。他是一名意大利语翻译，读高中时与一位外国学者结缘，从此爱上了这个“苦尽甘来”的饮品。前些年，老家在陕西的他选择落户无锡，成为景渎社区的一员，他渴望在这里认识新朋友，而这次志愿者经历成了他的新起点。他还想给大家介绍自己学过的意大利咖啡手艺，比如传统意大利人在咖啡中加入的糖稀是如何制作的。

56岁的臧弥天工作时间比较灵活，在这里每周只要花两小时做志愿者就行了。他介绍，自己的爱人先报名做咖啡师，后来觉得好，让他也加入。臧弥天表示，自己原来不喝咖啡，现在则了解了很多咖啡知识，已会做好几种咖啡了，感觉自己也能跟上时尚、服务他人，很有意义。

66岁的李凤林阿姨是咖啡馆的“1号志愿者”。她表示，自己原本不喝咖啡，担心睡不着觉。“在咖啡店装修时，我还想老年型社区哪有什么生意啊。”但她听说这里的运行机制和理念后，感觉特别好，立马想成为这里的志愿者，也为社会做点事。李阿姨笑着说，儿子儿媳都爱喝咖啡，等她学成了，要亲手给他们做一杯“爱心咖啡”。

据介绍，一开始这里的志愿者以长者为主，后来有一些年轻人也很想来做点事。大家觉得这也是一种不同年龄段人群的互动，也吸纳了少量年轻志愿者。唐晓燕表示，“记忆咖啡馆”不仅是一个喝咖啡的地方，更是一个志愿服务平台。目前，这里已招募50多名志愿者，他们中有大学老师、心理咨询师、文艺骨干、经营业主等，年龄从18岁到60多岁不等，经过5次培训且考核合格后，就能“上岗”。对于志愿者而言，每周轮班，只要能抽出两小时来当咖啡师就行了。这些志愿者各有技能，他们未来也能成为社区的宝贵资源，发挥特长，一起来做更多的服务。

为了回馈志愿者，咖啡馆还建立了一套完善的激励机制：提供统一制服，每天免费饮品，每月可带家人免费品尝或邀请亲朋好友来咖啡馆定制聚会空间；服务满一定时长还可兑换居家清洁、衣物洗涤等服务；此外还有晋级体系。这一设计让奉献有回响、有成长。

从“定制关怀”到“养老服务”

这里与街头的咖啡馆还有很多不同的产品，除了出售普通的美式咖啡外，这里加入了许多针对老年人健康需求的功能性饮品：添加姜黄和水飞蓟的“姜姜牛乳茶”有助于护肝；加入益生菌的玫瑰茶可以调理肠胃；还有来自南非的零咖啡因国宝茶，让担心睡不着的长者也能安心饮用。

品牌总监陈威龙介绍，他们用的是埃塞俄比亚或曼特宁的咖啡豆，茶是从南非进口的。“我们卖得便宜，庄园美式4.9元、庄园拿铁6.9元，贵一点的亚麻籽黑芝麻牛乳茶之类也就8.9元，就是希望长者每天都能喝到健康的饮品。”

更难得的是，喝咖啡的同时，老人们还能在这里参与健康知识小课堂、认知训练小游戏等活动。咖啡馆背后有清华大学教授团队、台湾自然医学博士、无锡的中医专家等专业力量支持，未来还将推出公益讲座、音乐疗愈等活动，真正实现“守护记忆，乐享生活”。

唐晓燕说，自己的外婆在70多岁时得了认知症，5年后就不再认识人。家里有认知症患者，无论是本人，还是家人，生活质量都会变差。从社区这个层面说，他们没有能力来治疗这种疾病，但通过社区搭建起筛查评估、宣教普及等服务链条，提早排查认知异常风险，开展科学康复引导，纾解家属照护压力，营造全民理解包容的敬老氛围，筑牢社区老年健康防护网。

“我们的初心不是为了赚多少钱。”陈威龙坦言，“‘记忆咖啡馆’只是我们的一个项目，我们最终要搭建的是一个平台，为老年人提供健康理念、产品和服务等。如果这个模式走通了，我们希望能复制到更多地方。”（黄孝萍）

What kind of experience will the combination of home-based elderly care service stations and cafes bring? Coffee makers are no longer young and handsome guys and girls, but a group of elderly people with traces of time. What kind of feeling will it bring?

In Jingdu Community, Jiangxi Street, Xinwu District, Wuxi City, a "Memory Caf é" is about to open. As the first caf é in Wuxi with silver elderly as the main volunteer, it will be built into a new elderly health harbor, allowing the elderly to leave their homes and integrate into the community through a new model, reducing the risk of developing dementia.

Home care service station transforms into coffee shop

At the west entrance of Oudian Community, there is a home-based elderly care service station in Jingdu Community. However, the entrance here has changed recently. There is a red canopy with a logo at the entrance, and two long seats underneath. What floats in the air is not the ordinary aroma of food, but strands of rich and mellow coffee aroma.

Walking inside, various equipment such as bean grinders, coffee machines, and milk tanks were neatly arranged. A group of elderly people in their fifties and sixties dressed in uniform were learning various coffee and milk beverage making techniques with the help of baristas. On that day, they were learning how to make South African milk tea with milk thistle, ginger, and turmeric, adding milk, thick milk, milk thistle, and turmeric. "Milk is 8 parts full, turmeric is 3 grams." Someone was holding a formula paper in their hand and earnestly studying with a milk tank.

On the other side of the seating area, there are multiple small round tables for four people, and by the window, there is a long strip of high legged tables and chairs. The Time Museum inside houses nostalgic old items donated by community residents, such as camphor boxes, sewing machines, and soup towels. There is a calendar from 1985 hanging on the wall, and there is also a row of glass display cabinets containing grain coupons from the last century, land deeds with a hundred years of history, etc., all donated by residents.

81 year old Grandma He looked at these familiar objects in her memory and couldn't help but say that they were also present in her home. She usually comes here around 11 noon every day to wait for her old friends to play cards together, and then goes home at 4 pm in the afternoon. There are many people and lively atmosphere here, with free air conditioning, tea, and people chatting and talking, "said Grandma He, making elderly life less difficult. Now that it has become a caf é, the activity content here has not changed, but the environment is better and there are more people.

Tang Xiaoyan, the person in charge of Jingdu Community, said that this is a new idea that emerged from the collision between the community and a chain coffee brand. At that time, she heard that Memory Caf é, originating from the Netherlands, was an innovative elderly care model that was popular internationally, especially in aging Japan. Elderly people with dementia could relax and participate in simple activities here, and their families could obtain information, share experiences, and relieve stress; Community residents learn about dementia and eliminate biases here. In Jingdu Community, the proportion of elderly people exceeds 20%. Can this model be introduced? For this reason, the community has held multiple meetings, and residents have expressed that they can try without changing the original functions of the home-based elderly care service station.

Starting from April this year, the service station underwent a redesign and renovation. Chen Weilong, the relevant person in charge from the brand, stated that they have combined their experience in coffee management and elderly care services to create a new coffee brand here, hoping to start from Wuxi and gradually expand to more places.

A large group of silver age volunteers rushed to come

I am 54 years old this year and have been drinking coffee for 30 years. "In the training area of the coffee shop, Zhang Kuanrong, dressed delicately, was very eye-catching. He is an Italian translator who became acquainted with a foreign scholar during high school and fell in love with this "bitter and sweet" drink ever since. A few years ago, he chose to settle in Wuxi, Shaanxi and became a member of Jingdu Community. He was eager to meet new friends here, and this volunteer experience became his new starting point. He also wants to introduce to everyone the Italian coffee techniques he has learned, such as how the sugar syrup traditionally added by Italians to coffee is made.

Zang Mitian, who is 56 years old, has flexible working hours and only needs to spend two hours a week volunteering here. He introduced that his lover first signed up to be a barista, and later found it good and asked him to join as well. Zang Mitian said that she used to not drink coffee, but now she has learned a lot about coffee and can make several types of coffee. She feels that she can also keep up with fashion and serve others, which is very meaningful.

66 year old Aunt Li Fenglin is the "No.1 volunteer" at the coffee shop. She said she didn't drink coffee originally and was worried about not being able to sleep. When I was renovating the coffee shop, I thought there wouldn't be any business in the elderly community. But after hearing about the operating mechanism and philosophy here, she felt particularly good and immediately wanted to become a volunteer here and do something for society. Auntie Li smiled and said that her son and daughter-in-law both love to drink coffee. When she finishes learning, she will make a cup of "love coffee" for them by herself.

It is reported that initially, the volunteers here were mainly elderly people, but later some young people also wanted to do something. Everyone feels that this is also an interaction between different age groups, and has also attracted a small number of young volunteers. Tang Xiaoyan said that "Memory Cafe" is not only a place to drink coffee, but also a volunteer service platform. At present, more than 50 volunteers have been recruited here, including university teachers, psychological counselors, literary and artistic elites, business owners, etc., ranging in age from 18 to over 60 years old. After 5 training sessions and passing the assessment, they can "take up their posts". For volunteers, as long as they can spare two hours to work as baristas during weekly shifts, it's enough. These volunteers each have their own skills, and they can also become valuable resources for the community in the future, leveraging their strengths and working together to provide more services.

In order to give back to volunteers, the caf é has also established a comprehensive incentive mechanism: providing a uniform, free drinks every day, and inviting family members to taste for free every month or inviting friends and family to customize a gathering space at the caf é; After a certain period of service, it can be exchanged for home cleaning, laundry and other services; In addition, there is a promotion system. This design allows for a response and growth in dedication.

From 'customized care' to 'elderly care services'

There are many different products here compared to street cafes. In addition to selling regular American coffee, many functional drinks tailored to the health needs of the elderly have been added here: "Ginger Milk Tea" with added turmeric and milk thistle helps protect the liver; Adding probiotics to rose tea can regulate the gastrointestinal tract; There is also zero caffeine national treasure tea from South Africa, which allows elderly people who are worried about not being able to sleep to drink it with peace of mind.

Brand Director Chen Weilong introduced that they use coffee beans from Ethiopia or Mantening, and the tea is imported from South Africa. We sell at a low price, with estate American style drinks priced at 4.9 yuan, estate latte at 6.9 yuan, and more expensive flaxseed black sesame milk tea at only 8.9 yuan. We hope that the elderly can drink healthy drinks every day

What's even more rare is that while drinking coffee, the elderly can also participate in activities such as health knowledge classes and cognitive training games here. The caf é is supported by professional forces such as professors from Tsinghua University, Taiwanese natural medicine doctors, and traditional Chinese medicine experts from Wuxi. In the future, it will also launch public lectures, music therapy, and other activities to truly achieve the goal of "protecting memories and enjoying life".

Tang Xiaoyan said that her grandmother developed dementia in her 70s and stopped knowing people after 5 years. If there are dementia patients at home, both the individual and their family members will experience a decline in their quality of life. From the perspective of the community, they do not have the ability to treat this disease, but they have established a service chain such as screening and evaluation, education and popularization through the community, early screening of cognitive abnormal risks, scientific rehabilitation guidance, relief of family care pressure, creating a respectful and inclusive atmosphere for the elderly, and building a strong elderly health protection network in the community.

Our original intention was not to make much money, "Chen Weilong admitted." The 'Memory Cafe' is just one of our projects. What we ultimately want to build is a platform to provide health concepts, products, and services for the elderly. If this model works, we hope to replicate it in more places. "(Huang Xiaoping)