Dementia Friendship Scheme

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:

Age UK Coventry & Warwickshire

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:

Project description only

Type of evaluation:

Survey; Interviews

Prevention service description

Specially trained volunteers visit clients once a week for a minimum of two hours and can either spend time in the home or accompany the older person to an activity. Clients choose what they would like to do with the time, and activities include anything from tea and chat; to attending a friendship group or craft activity; to going to lunch or for a walk; to doing some baking. The overall aim of the scheme is to support people to live well with dementia.

Referrals are received from a variety of sources including older people and family members, as well as Alzheimer’s Society, local Memory Services team; Social Services and other teams at Age UK Coventry.

Intervention/service type:

Befriending, mentoring and peer support

Target client group(s):

Older people