"Don't Panic When Your Ordered Drink Changes" Special Cafe 'Bangapdabang'

The appearance of Kim Unja with mild dementia participating as a barista (Photo by Eunpyeong-gu)

Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 19th that it began operating a special cafe called ‘Bangapdabang,’ where elderly people with mild dementia can engage in activities, starting from the 3rd.

‘Bangapdabang’ is run with the participation of three elderly people with mild dementia registered at the Eunpyeong-gu Dementia Safety Center and one family member of a dementia patient, all volunteering to operate the cafe. The dementia patients receive training and are responsible for tasks such as taking drink orders, preparing, and serving beverages.

The cafe operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and is open to everyone. All drinks are free of charge, but a special rule of the cafe is that customers must understand that drinks may be served late or that the order might differ from what was requested.

Ms. Kim Un-ja, a volunteer in her 70s, said, “I am very grateful to have a space where I can come out and be active. When I stay at home, I feel depressed, but coming out and meeting people makes me happy.” Ms. Kim continues to participate steadily as a barista, taking orders and preparing drinks, staying busy with her activities.

A center official stated, “We plan to expand various projects that allow dementia patients to engage directly in social activities, and through Bangapdabang, we will strive to dispel prejudice against dementia and create a dementia-friendly environment.”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “Bangapdabang helps elderly dementia patients continuously engage in social activities, boosting their confidence and creating an environment where they can live together as members of society. We also hope it will help improve the negative perceptions of dementia among visitors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.