Group therapy
What is Active Minds Group Therapy?
Our group therapy sessions, known as Active Minds, use Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) to maintain or improve someone’s memory and mental health. CST has been recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence as a treatment for those living with early to moderate dementia.
With dementia day care sessions across Devon, each one lasts around 2 hours and is facilitated by an expert. The sessions are social, fun, stimulating and aim to target different aspects of the brain, including:
- Language and numbers
- Faces
- Categorising
- Geographical locations
Active Minds benefits
To respond to the individuals changing needs, the programme consists of themed activities which run weekly. Benefits include:
- Improving memory and thinking skills
- The sessions aid recall and concentration skills
- Encouraging new ideas, thoughts and associations
- Great for social, communication skills and increased confidence
- Involvement and inclusion to help alleviate feelings of isolation
- Increased wellbeing through fun and enjoyable activities
- Our sessions will always take into account the interests, history, skills and abilities of the individual and all group members
- The sessions are based on implicit learning – which generally means the cognitive benefits happens without people noticing
- Respite for family and carers
Where do the sessions run?
Torquay
The Active Minds sessions take place in Torquay every week on a Wednesday afternoon.
- St Matthias Church, Babbacombe Rd, Wellswood, Torquay TQ1 1HW
- 07908 639736
Totnes
Our Totnes Active Minds sessions will take place every week on a Friday.
- Rushbrook Day Centre, Station Road, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5HW
- 07908 639736
East Devon
The Active Minds sessions take place at our Ness Hub East Devon every week (Mon, Wed & Fri).
- Ness Hub East Devon, Withycombe Village Rd, Exmouth, EX8 3AE.
- 07908 639736
Paignton
The Active Minds sessions will be taking place at Coverdale Court every week on a Wednesday.
- Coverdale Court, Bishop’s Place, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 3DY
- 07908 639736
Costs & free session
The Ness Care Group maintain our prices very competitively and each of our services have a specific cost. However, we work closely with health & social care and have a contract across Devon that means many can get partial or total funding support from social care. We will help you with accessing social care assessments and also applying for attendance allowance. Please call or email to get the full pricing list.
We understand that for some people this will be a new experience, which is why we offer the first session for FREE.
We are also able to offer transport within the East Devon area for those who may struggle to get to the venue – we will collect your loved one and drop them home after a session!
Get signed up!
To get signed up for one of our sessions, please phone The Ness Care Group. Before attending a session, we would like to talk to the family or social worker to gauge the individual’s cognitive ability, interests and personality so that we match them with a group at a similar level.
Every family will get the first session free so they can assess us and get a good insight into what we do. After the first session we aim to create a routine, encouraging the individual to come along on the same day(s) each week.
Note: We are ‘covid safe’ and follow a number of precautions and safety measures. More info.
