Dementia Support

At Birmingham Hospice we offer a weekly Dementia Support Programme at our Erdington site every Friday.

The nine week course is for those with a recent diagnosis of dementia and their next of kin/carer.

When attendees have finished the course they are invited to attend our monthly social drop-in group.

Referrals can be made by any healthcare professional involved in your care/diagnosis.

Make a referral

Supporting you with your diagnosis

We offer weekly support and educational sessions for those with an early diagnosis of dementia at our Erdington site each Friday. We strongly advise the patient to attend with either their next of kin, partner or carer or some one who they are close to and trust, as both will benefit from the service and practical advice offered.

The course involves helpful and practical advise to help the patient and their carer understand and live well following their diagnosis. This includes sessions on mobility, exercise, anxiety, worry and wellbeing, diet and nutrition and understanding dementia. The programme is supported by Birmingham Hospice’s wider expert multidisciplinary team and professionals from Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust and Alzheimer’s Society.

The group is a safe space for people to come and talk openly about their diagnosis and any fears or concerns they may have. Sessions are relaxed, informal and can be shaped by what attendees want to learn about, allowing patients to come to terms with their diagnosis at their own pace.

Make new friends

As well as supporting you with practical advice, the sessions are a fantastic opportunity for you to meet other people who are going through a similar situation.

Many of the people who attend our Dementia Support Programme have gone on to form strong friendships with each other and meet regularly outside of the hospice.

Once you have finished the nine-week programme, you are invited to attend our monthly drop-in sessions where you can meet up with the other attendees and also get support from our hospice teams.

The course goes into so much detail about such a lot of things, it really was such a help when John was newly diagnosed. One of the real positives from the sessions is the group of friends we've made. We're all so close and keep in touch outside of our monthly sessions. When we first came we were both quite apprehensive, as we didn't know what to expect, but everyone is so lovely here we never looked back. In the end we didn't want the sessions to finish! If you're offered the opportunity to come to the sessions don’t be frightened when you hear the word ‘hospice’, there is nothing to be scared about. Everyone is so friendly here and you’ll be made to feel welcome right from the start.

John and Shirley Beard

Attendees of our monthly drop-in sessions

How to join the group

Our nine-week support programme is suitable for those with a recent or new diagnosis of dementia only. Patients in advanced stages unfortunately would not benefit from the programme at this time.

Referrals to the our Dementia Support Programme can be made by any healthcare professional that is involved in your care/diagnosis (GP, memory clinic/advisor) and can be completed through our website. Click here to access our referral form.

If you have any queries or require more information, please contact Helen Narbett, Staff Nurse, on: helen.narbett@birminghamhospice.org.uk or call 0121 465 2000.