In April this year we awarded a funding contribution to Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW.
They were raising funds to launch support groups providing a safe space for people with dementia, family, or caregivers to access a range of free subsidised and personalised services. These included activities such as counselling, therapies, peer support groups, gentle exercise, and the arts - such as a memory choir, music therapy and social event/entertainment.
They launched their first support group in April followed by a helpline and website in May. So far, they have helped 94 people via 248 individual interactions. In July they launched a second support group and will be increasing to five support groups per week in various locations from October. Their aim is to increase to ten by the end of 2023 and to 15, covering the whole of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by the end of 2024.
Group members come together every week to engage with others living with dementia in the local community, and participate in arts & crafts, cognitive stimulation activities, music, and movement. All of which help to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing, leading to happier, healthier individuals better equipped to deal with the day-to-day challenges that a dementia diagnosis brings. In addition to their weekly groups, they hosted a Jubilee Afternoon Tea Party, where they listened to music from 1952 and had a sing-a-long.
This community group have really helped to aid the recovery of people with dementia who struggled severely through the recent COVID 19 pandemic and we're happy to have been able to assist with this.