Reaching people and membership

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Promotion

“I suppose a key challenge is to make sure that you have got members. So it’s the word of mouth and having the referrals and that everybody that refers in knows that we are here… I mean you can’t have a Meeting Centre if you have got no members.” – Meeting Centre staff member

“You’ve got to really work hard to get out and about and talk to communities and promote what you do and the work that you do and where the Meeting Centres are.” – Health care professional

“There needs to be somebody that leads on that… somebody who is actually actively coming out to promote this to the public and go to doctors and say, we’ve got this facility and we’d like to promote it.” – Meeting Centre volunteer

Getting the word out is key to recruiting members – but promotion requires continual time and effort from someone at the Meeting Centre. It can be through a variety of channels, but if materials are not designed carefully they can appear stereotyping or not inclusive. Networking and having a presence in the community can encourage word-of-mouth.

Recommendations:

Have someone responsible for public engagement and recruitment.
Consult with attendees to create clear, appealing and inclusive materials on what a Meeting Centre is, who it is for and how it differs from other forms of dementia support. Distribute these materials widely both in the community and to professionals in dementia care.
For tips on writing promotional/information material in a dementia-friendly way, the DEEP (Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project) website has a range of guidance (click here).
Reach out to people and groups in the community wherever possible to promote the Meeting Centre, for example at community events.
And do use social media and have a website if possible, to reach more people.

Appropriateness and access

“I think there’s lots of stigma to it…like ‘I’m not going sitting in a room doing painting and throwing a ball to someone or listening to this music, that’s not what I need’, because he…doesn’t associate himself…with someone who’s late 70s, 80s.” – Family carer

“If they want to come along to try a session, that’s the best bet really. Come and see for yourself and if it’s something that you particularly like, stay and become a member.” – Meeting Centre staff member

“Some people came and they shouldn’t have really been there according to the model, because it was a long time after their diagnosis, and it was more of a place for them to come and occupy during the day rather than get out of the Meeting Centre what exactly it was meant for.” – Health care professional

Whether someone attends a Meeting Centre or not will depend upon whether they feel it is appropriate for them. Understanding what Meeting Centres are and do is key to their appeal. If staff and volunteers do not adhere to the Essential Features and ethos, that could be a problem when recruiting members.

Taking the step to go to a Meeting Centre can be daunting, especially if you’re not used to attending social groups or are still coming to terms with a diagnosis. People may need time and support.

Insisting on a formal diagnosis will restrict numbers and turn away many who could benefit.

There may also be barriers to access, such as cost or practical problems. It is important that the Meeting Centre is available at a time and frequency to suit members, and it needs to be affordable. Helping people to source support to attend can be crucial.

Balancing what appeals to different generations, or is appropriate for people at different places in their dementia journey, can be difficult. For example, if activities are mainly tailored towards older people, or those further along their dementia journey, this may put off younger people or those with milder symptoms.

There is a danger Meeting Centres may put off people from diverse backgrounds without realising, for example if members are all of one cultural group or socio-economic background – so extra care and effort may be needed to ensure it is welcoming and inclusive for all.

Recommendations:

Create an introductory information package explaining the benefits of Meeting Centres and what to expect – and provide supported opportunities to meet staff and experience the Meeting Centre before joining.
Provide information and practical support for potential and returning members to access financial support, homecare, personal support and community transport.
Where possible, make adaptations to accommodate a range of individual needs, and secure additional resources and training if needed. For example, explore ways to provide for people with both mild and moderate dementia symptoms; for people who speak other languages or experience sensory difficulties; and explore flexible attendance and payment options.
Liaise with local ethnic minority groups and community dementia services to raise awareness and to understand the needs of these groups. Then practice can be adapted to meet these needs where possible.
Ensure sufficient staff, time, volunteers and budget for supporting potential members and liaising with referring professionals.
Ensure Meeting Centres are run according to the Essential Features booklet.

Suggestions for health and social care professionals:

Provide information and practical support for potential Meeting Centre members to access financial support, homecare, personal support and community transport in order to attend.
Liaise with local ethnic minority groups and mild cognitive impairment services to increase awareness and understanding. Raise awareness of the importance and benefits of diagnosis and community support such as Meeting Centres – and feed back to Meeting Centres how they can meet the needs of these groups.

Social appeal, belonging and safety

“It’s a social thing more than anything else, definitely. It’s fun. It’s nice to be able to join in with these guys, [because] everyone’s got the same problems… effectively that’s what this place is, being there to be with people, enjoying their company, which is nice. It’s a hell of a nice club.” – Meeting Centre member

“What this Centre does is it makes us more relaxed and less anxious, and more like our old selves.” – Meeting Centre member

“As soon as you walk through the door it’s just like you’ve been coming for ages. Because everyone welcomes you and they know what you’re going through… It is like having a family here. I’ve made a lot of friends.” – Family carer

Social connection is at the heart of Meeting Centres. They can be places where people with dementia can feel safe and understood – more relaxed, less anxious and free of the stigma that they all-too-often experience in wider society. The social opportunities and friendships forged are often what members value most about Meeting Centres.

Recommendations:

Ensure people’s introduction to a Meeting Centre is warm, welcoming, inclusive and non-stigmatising.
Emphasise the social aspects of Meeting Centres for wide appeal, and support the friendships of those who attend.

Range of activities

“There needs to be a real range of activities, that people don’t feel alienated. Because you don’t necessarily have something in common just because you’ve all been diagnosed with dementia… You’re still a person who has a particular interest.” – Arts practitioner working with Meeting Centres

“What’s good here is they encourage you to do a range of things… and that’s very good for you, because it makes you focus and learn.” – Meeting Centre member

“They do a really good range of stuff and my hat is off to them the way they do that, because I know how difficult it is.” – Family carer

“It’s not about me getting a score for how well I’ve stuck to my lesson plan, it’s about whether or not people go away, still wanting to talk about what they’ve been talking about.” – Meeting Centre staff member

The need to offer a variety of activities is key. People could be put off attending if they feel there is too little choice, with nothing that appeals to them – especially if they feel they might be asked to take part in something they are not interested in. Activities can be particularly off-putting if they stereotype older people, or could feel restrictive, infantilising, disempowering or just not appropriate for an individual.

Recommendations:

Ensure activities are varied and cover a range of interests, tastes, preferences and abilities on an ongoing basis.
Staff numbers, time, volunteers and budget need to be sufficient to cover a range of tasks. These include consulting with members and family carers about what they want, activity planning, getting together resources or arranging with external partners to provide activities.
Where possible plan activities that can be run alongside each other so there is choice – and plan so that members and carers can be activity involved in helping facilitate if they wish.

Food

“Eating together, is obviously really valuable, so it’s really worth it if you can do it, but it’s just very labour intensive and hard work.” – Meeting Centre staff member

The offer of food can be what convinces someone to attend a Meeting Centre. It can add structure to the day, encourage socialising, provide nutrition and act as an opportunity for meaningful food-related activities with attendees. However, it does require significant staff or volunteer time and appropriate facilities.

Recommendation:

Offer food to widen your appeal if possible, but only if there are staff and resources to do so.

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