Dementia Self-Help Groups

We are currently running three self-help groups for people with dementia living in sheltered and extra care accommodation.

Extra care and sheltered housing allows people who are no longer able to live in their own home to live relatively independently. However, while physical care needs are met, tenants can become isolated.

Loneliness and social isolation pose as big a health risk as lifelong smoking. Mental health risks associated with loneliness and social isolation include dementia, depression and anxiety.

We’ve seen how the practical coping methods and skills developed at the Dementia Self-help groups have led to increased mental wellbeing and enjoyment of life. We now plan to develop this project for other older people living in extra care and sheltered accommodation at risk of social isolation and the associated mental health problems.

By running groups with housing schemes we can establish a group of peers who have the skills, knowledge and bonds to support each other. These social connections improve wellbeing and the chances of maintaining good mental health.

Each group will meet weekly for six months, after which an existing participant or volunteer will continue to run the group with support and training from the Mental Health Foundation. This self-sustaining method will enable us to reach out to more older people, help them to support others and therefore create far reaching beneficiaries.

By building on the success and learnings from the existing project, we can kickstart a sustainable way of supporting the mental health of more and more older people.

Please make a donation today. Your gift will enable us to help more people connect and live more fulfilling and mentally healthier lives.

Find out more about the dementia self-help project.

Find out more about:

Dementia Self-help project

Dementia Information

The Lonely Society (PDF)

Older People