How can we harness the power and value of peer support for people living with dementia?
We are starting to understand the power and value of peer support for people living with dementia. Peer support is routinely advocated in policy and strategies for dementia care across the UK – but access to opportunities varies and the waiting lists can be long.
People with dementia are finding new ways of supporting each other through user-led influencing groups (see the DEEP website – www.dementiavoices.org.uk), blogging and social media.
Some thoughts from people attending groups for people with dementia
“We’re all in the same boat and we don’t need to worry who is listening”
“I feel so much love and support in the group”
Like Minds – Oxfordshire
“It’s the best group I’ve ever seen”
FIT – Bradford
“Our group is a lifeline”
Friends together: Redditch and Bromsgrove
“It’s the most wonderful choir you’ve ever heard”
Vocal Flourish Choir: York
“I’ve never had so many laughs in my life. It’s a short life you have.”
“The group was a chance to share what was like having a rocket shoved up your backside.”
“This group pulled me out of it – because they’d been through it. They helped us come to terms.”
Springboard: Rochdale
“We’re just coming out of the shadows”
Dementia Working Group: Ireland
The Health Innovation Network worked with The Alzheimer’s Society, Innovations in Dementia and community groups across South London to produce a Resource Pack to promote the importance of peer support opportunities for people with dementia. It brings together in one place evidenced based resources to help community groups and funders set up and run peer support groups, as well as guidance on how to make older people groups more dementia friendly. It includes films, case studies, policy and research related to the benefits of peer support, as well as resources on funding, staff training and evaluation of groups. It has been developed for the statutory, community and voluntary sectors that are working with, or commissioning/funding services for people with dementia. Thank you to AGE UK and Mental Health Foundation who also contributed resources.
The Health Innovation Network has published a report proving the social value of peer support groups for people with dementia is greater than the investment: for every pound (£) of investment the social value created by the three groups evaluated ranged from £1.17 to £5.18.
The study found the benefits of attending peer support groups are:
Prepared by Lauren Chakkalackal from the Mental Health Foundation, and Dr Jayasree Kalathil from Survivor Research .
This project involved the evaluation of three peer support groups for people in the early stages of dementia living in extra care housing. The aims of the groups were to:
People with dementia are taking peer support to a whole new level internationally
