The 'Restaurant of Mistaken Orders'
A restaurant in Japan, namely, ‘The Restaurant of Order Mistakes’ is famous for the goof-ups the servers make when delivering you your food. You could have ordered miso soup but then will be served dumplings at your table. But, the thing is, that these mess-ups do not happen intentionally, but rather because the servers over there are all dementia patients.
In an initiative to break the stigma around Dementia, the restaurant owner has hired people with dementia to normalise their living and to make people aware that except for the part where they forget things (orders), no other myth around dementia is true.
(Image: Government of Japan)
People’s reactions to wrong orders
A report by Forbes on this restaurant revealed how the public reacted to their bunch of mistaken and wrong orders. A person who ordered a hamburger actually received a plate of dumplings and had it happily. Another who would have ordered Ramen, would probably have received a shrimp salad, but nevertheless, the customers went out happy and content.
As Forbes reported, “Instead of reacting to dementia as frightening, depressing and dreadfully isolating, the responses are almost precisely the opposite: diners describe the experience as cute, happy, funny, gregarious and comfortable.”
(Image: Government of Japan)
Media reactions to the restaurant
The report by Forbes also mentioned, “At one event, one of the servers absent-mindedly sat with her customers. Another asked one diner to take orders from the others around the table. None of this fazed anyone who came to eat. They know they are coming for something like compassionate and improvisational cabaret comedy.”
Further, Twitter and Instagram reactions to the restaurant are also part supportive and part hilarious. People have described the epic goof-ups the wholesome servers made and how they took it all in good spirits. At the end, you can see people going into the restaurant not for their ‘particular’ food order but rather to have a good time, interact with the servers and come back with a wholesome experience.
(Image: Government of Japan)
Common dementia symptoms
Dementia symptoms vary with respect to how long it has been since it first started. But, it is definitive to say that they gradually worsen over time.
For starters, memory loss is the most common symptom of dementia. From something as small as continuously forgetting your wallet at home to venturing out into the streets and not even realizing why you did so. Additionally, individuals with dementia might struggle with communication, finding words or following conversations. They may notice changes in mood or personality, increased confusion, or even restlessness. After sometime, the person might have challenges in judgment, reasoning and minute decision-making.
Common myths around Dementia
People suffering from dementia are usually discriminated upon. While the disease affects millions of people worldwide, there is still very limited accurate and relevant information regarding the disease. Because of this, myths around dementia still prevail. For example, you could have heard commonly that people suffering from Dementia are aggressive, their problems worsens with their age, there are no available treatments for dementia and so much more. But, the reality is, the aggressiveness after contracting dementia is not because of the disease but maybe because of the treatment of that person. Further, to combat dementia symptoms and ensure a smooth lifestyle, several medicines and therapies are present in the healthcare industry.
And this is exactly what the restaurant proves to its customers. The servers over there are sweet, happy and just as courteous as regular servers.
Is treating Dementia possible?
While a sure shot technique or treatment is not yet discovered, several drugs and therapies have helped with slowing down the symptoms of dementia. Therapy approaches, like cognitive stimulation therapy, occupational therapy and physical exercise, have proven to be beneficial for several patients. Plus, lifestyle changes, like a healthy diet, mentally stimulating activities and regular interaction with your loved ones also helps to manage symptoms.
Further, according to Alzheimer's Association, “there is no cure, but two treatments — aducanumab (Aduhelm®) and lecanemab (Leqembi®) — demonstrate that removing beta-amyloid, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, from the brain reduces cognitive and functional decline in people living with early Alzheimer’s.”
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