All You Must Know About Dementia Support Groups In India

Finding a dementia support group can help you deal with the challenge of caregiving for a loved one with dementia. 

Seeing a loved one’s decline into dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can be heart-wrenching. It can also mean that someone from the family has to take on the role of a caregiver. The task is challenging, rewarding and exhausting at the same time and several caregivers feel the need to connect with others in the same situation. Becoming part of a Dementia Support Group can help you learn to navigate the situation better and give you a peer group dealing with similar issues.

What is a dementia support group?

The aim of a Dementia support group is to provide caregivers with an environment of support and a platform to share their feelings. It is essentially a group for people who are taking care of Dementia patients or those with other neurocognitive impairments. The group helps the caregiver understand and cope with the complexities of the disease, focuses on empowering the dementia community towards a better knowledge of the disease and provides tips and guidance on caregiving and most importantly emphasises on improving the well-being of caregivers.

Why is it needed?

Dementia is characterised by a progressive decline in cognitive, physical and functional abilities. As a Dementia patient loses one ability after another, a caregiver has to face tests of stamina, problem-solving, and resiliency. With increasing responsibilities, it is easy to become overwhelmed and neglect their own health and well-being. The burden of caregiving can put caregivers at increased risk for significant health and psychological problems. A Dementia support group is a safe place for caregivers to meet and develop a mutual support system. The caregivers can gain information on methods of coping with the disease. Not just that, a Dementia support group can also help those suffering from the condition cope with it. Here’s how a support group can be beneficial for both the caregivers and their loved ones with Dementia.

How does it help caregivers?

Support group for caregivers includes experts who offer guidance to solve difficulties faced by the caregivers. They also allow a safe space for each caregiver to tell their story and release any emotional distress which they might be facing. The focus is mainly to provide the family members or caregivers a dependable platform where they could unload their emotions and struggles and do not get judged or stigmatised. This is a sharing space where the caregivers meet individuals like themselves and share the problems or tips to deal with the problems that might arise while taking care of a loved one with Dementia.

How does it help people with Dementia?

Support group for people with Dementia or neurocognitive impairment is focused on providing a sense of belongingness within the society and feeling of inclusion in a community. These support sessions include fun-based cognitive activities, movement and art, music therapy sessions and more. The participants are encouraged to share their life experiences, feelings and thoughts in a judgment-free area.

We bring you some Dementia Support Groups across India.

Samvedna Senior Care

Gurgaon, Haryana, New Delhi, Bengaluru

For Gurgaon and Delhi location, call 9818421446, 0124-4229659 or mail to contact@samvednacare.com

For Bengaluru location, call 0124 422 9659

This support group (www.samvednacare.com) is for families of patients of Dementia and the objective is to share knowledge and information on Dementia and help families deal with the challenges associated with this illness. A typical meeting involves sharing and participating in activities and singing and dancing together. Once in a while, an expert is invited to talk about relevant issues at the meeting. Members are asked to share their stories and instances like what were the first symptoms they noticed in their loved one and how did they accept when their loved one was first diagnosed with Dementia. They are also asked to share instances of success or failures in caregiving that other members can learn from. Information on the latest research on Dementia is also shared with the members.

Nightingales Medical Trust

Bangalore, Karnataka

Email: dementiabangalore@gmail.com

The support group meetings are held with minimum 15-20 caregivers at various locations around Bangalore for two to two and a half hours, usually on a Saturday. It is open to all, family & caregivers, students working with elders or anyone interested in knowing more about dementia. The sessions begin with a group discussion and open forum where everyone is asked to share their experience, the daily schedule at home and other issues. All this is followed by a small talk by an expert who has been invited and deals with various issues over the different sessions. Members try to find a solution towards caregiving in the midst of busy working lives and share tips with each other on behavioural patterns, healthcare tips, etc. Members have even formed a group on the messaging service Whatsapp and stay in touch with each other. You can email them to find out the date for the next meeting.

ARDSI, Hyderabad, Deccan Chapter Office & Dementia Activity Centre

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Email: ardsihyd@gmail.com

Website: www.ardsihyd.org

Contact Number: 9618527072, 9004528557, 9246519063

Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India Hyderabad (ARDSI) has a centre equipped for persons with dementia. It has an associated memory clinic. Please do check their very useful website listed above. For monthly caregiver support group meetings in Hyderabad, contact them on email or call.

ARDSI Kolkata Chapter

Kolkata, West Bengal

To reach them out, call +91 08232014540, 03332017044, 08232014540

E-mail- ardsikolkata@yahoo.co.in

Website: www. Ardsikolkata.org

ARDSI Kolkata offers a comprehensive range of services aimed at holistic dementia management. Starting from home visits for counselling the caregivers and making them aware of who to turn to for support, helping caregivers with a memory clinic that provides medical services for people with Dementia, training the caregivers at home and offering daycare for 6 days a week under daycare and home companionship program, ARDSI Kolkata is an efficient dementia support care group.

ARDSI Chennai Chapter – Madras Memory Clinic

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Contact Number: (044) 42629209 and (0)98 4101 9910

The objective of this group is to provide various mental healthcare resources to deal with psychological, emotional and behavioural issues and provide comprehensive evaluation, development and application of alternative healing treatments along with maintaining clinical prudence and research.

Silver Age Foundation in collaboration with ARDSI Bhubaneswar

Puri, Bhubaneswar

Website: http://www.silveragefoundation.org/

ARDSI launched its chapter in Puri, Bhubaneswar this month in order to reach out to the people with Dementia and their caregivers with its support framework. It will be led by Silver Age Foundation, a non-profit organisation that is working towards the health and well being of the seniors.

In order to get in touch with Bhubaneswar Dementia Support Group, call 9090222666, 9090666222

Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital

Pune

Tel: 020-40151000/66023000 (extension 1059)

The hospital conducts various Dementia Support Services. Memory clinics, guidance and counselling, memory improvement and memory exercise programs, and Alzheimer’s support group meetings, dementia research, and dementia awareness. Call them to know dates and timings.

Echoing Healthy Ageing

Mumbai

E-mail: info@echoinghealthyageing.com, Ph: (+91) 9167 61 3665

Website: www.echoinghealthyageing.com

Contact person: Amrita Patil Pimpale (9167613665 )

Echoing Healthy Ageing (EHA) is a social enterprise working in Dementia care sector, focusing on home-based therapies, counselling & Dementia care training for family carers and professionals. This includes counseling after the diagnosis, training for family carers and healthcare professionals, care planning assistance, and activity planning. EHA offers support for two populations i.e. the caregivers and family members of people with dementia and for individuals who are diagnosed with dementia or neurocognitive impairment. The focus and objective of each support group are customized differently according to the need of the population. The monthly support group meet for Family caregivers of Dementia is conducted every first Friday of the month in Holy Family hospital, Bandra. The cognitive stimulation sessions for People with Dementia are organized in Lower Parel, Andheri, Bandra and Thane.

Varishta

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Website: https://www.varishta.org/contact.html

Varishta is an initiative of the Silversmile Elder Care Foundation, a not for profit company with the objective to promote awareness about Dementia and provide support to people with Dementia and their families. Its services include care solutions to those with Dementia and their caregivers in order to improve their quality of life.

Much of the information on this page is courtesy the website Dementia Care Notes, one of the best dementia resources in India. For a complete and constantly updated list of city-wise dementia care resources, which also include support groups, please check https://dementiacarenotes.in/resources/city-wise/

September 21 is World Alzheimer’s Day and observing the month of September as the Dementia month, Silver Talkies is covering various aspects of Dementia to make the readers aware of the condition.