Evaluation report – Peer support groups to facilitate self-help coping strategies for people with dementia in extra care housing

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:

• enable participants to learn simple, practical coping strategies to deal with memory loss and other issues associated with dementia
• help participants maintain or even reduce the level of care needs as practical coping improved
• reduce social isolation and feelings of loneliness, increase social networks and interaction, and improve wellbeing of participants
• Be sustained beyond the lifetime of the project itself and become an intrinsic part of the housing provision where they were located.