A NEW cafe in Clydebank is offering residents with young onset dementia the chance to meet and socialise with each other.

The cafe, to be run at the Tower Centre, Kilbowie Street, will take place every second and fourth Thursday.

It is one of a series which are being set up by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC).

The youth onset dementia (YOD) service works with patients who are diagnosed before the age of 65, as well as with their families and carers.

An estimated 400 younger people across the GGC health board area have dementia.

Oona Kaarlela Galani, an assistant psychologist, said: “A diagnosis of dementia is always a daunting one, but for a younger person this can be particularly difficult.

“Younger people with dementia can face particular challenges relating to work, their caring commitments and financial constraints.

“Until now, there has only been one YOD cafe within GGC, provided by Alzheimer Scotland at Bridgeton Dementia Resource Centre on a Monday. It’s hugely popular and we want to enable more people to benefit from what these sessions have to offer.

“We’ve chosen cafes which are the sort of venues that anyone might use for a catch up with friends. The sessions last for a couple of hours and give people a chance to chat, play games such as dominoes, read a magazine and share experiences if they want to.”

Read more: West Dunbartonshire Befrienders promote their work through song

A psychologist and a nurse from the service coordinate the session and will chat to people and help them to find other services to offer specific support.

It’s also hoped that a volunteer can be recruited to help with general social activities at the cafes.

Sessions run from 10.30am to 12.30pm and more information is available by calling 0141 201 4805 or emailing Oona.KaarlelaGalani@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.