Cognitive stimulation therapy courses for people living with mild to moderate dementia in Southampton and Hampshire.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a structured, evidence-based group programme for people living with mild to moderate dementia. It is designed to support memory, thinking skills, communication, confidence and wellbeing through enjoyable activities and social connection in a friendly group setting.
Delivered in community venues across Southampton and Hampshire, the Mind and Memory service will offer small, supportive sessions over 14 weeks, led by trained facilitators and supported by volunteers. Courses will run throughout the year.
If you live in Portsmouth, please see our Remind service.
This service is delivered by Solent Mind and Havant & East Hampshire Mind. It is funded by NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board.
Referrals to the service are only through clinical teams already supporting people with dementia. These include Older People’s Community Mental Health Teams, Memory Assessment Services, Parkinson’s, Medicine for Older People and Neurology Clinics, the UHS Early Cognitive Disorders Clinic, Liaison Psychiatry and Admiral Nursing Services.
These teams will provide the service with relevant assessment information, including cognitive assessment details and care information, to help confirm that CST is suitable and likely to be helpful for the person being referred.
The service will aim to make contact with referred individuals within 5 working days.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept referrals directly from people who wish to use the service or their family/carers.
Referring services will be asked to provide relevant clinical information, including cognitive assessment details and background information, to make sure the person is suitable for and likely to benefit from CST. The service will aim to make contact with referred individuals within 5 working days and will work closely with referrers, carers and families to support safe and appropriate participation. Referrals will open soon.
Our FAQs answer common questions about the service and Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. This section is here to help you feel informed and reassured.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a well-established group therapy for people living with mild to moderate dementia. It is the only non-drug treatment recommended by NICE for dementia.
CST uses themed activities, discussion and social interaction to help people stay mentally active and engaged. The programme focuses on people’s strengths and aims to create a positive, supportive environment where everyone can take part in a way that feels comfortable to them.
The emphasis is not on testing memory or getting things right or wrong. Instead, CST encourages conversation, enjoyment, confidence and connection with others.
Each CST course will run for 14 weeks, with one session each week lasting around 45 minutes to one hour. Groups will usually include 8 to 12 people and will be led by trained facilitators and supported by volunteers in dementia-friendly community venues.
Each session follows a gentle structure, which may include:
Sessions are designed to be relaxed, sociable and inclusive, and people are encouraged to join in at their own pace.
CST has been developed to help people living with dementia to:
Research and service experience show that CST can make a real difference to people’s quality of life, while offering a positive and supportive group experience.
This service is for people who:
If you live in Portsmouth, please see the Remind Service.
The service aims to be welcoming and accessible for people from a wide range of backgrounds and will work to support people who may face additional barriers to engagement.
We know that carers, family members and loved ones play a vital role in supporting someone living with dementia. Alongside the CST sessions, the service will offer opportunities for carers and families to receive information, support and signposting where appropriate.
The wider aim of the service is to help people stay connected to support in their community and continue accessing the right help at the right time.
CST is a time-limited service, and people taking part will be encouraged to continue engaging with existing support networks or to build new supportive connections once the course ends. This is intended to help people stay connected while also making sure the service remains accessible to others who may benefit from it.
At the end of the course, the service will provide signposting and onward support information, including links to relevant community and wider support services where appropriate.
If someone becomes unwell or is admitted to hospital during the course, they may be offered the opportunity to attend a later course running at a venue of their choice.
Sessions will be delivered in community venues in Havant, Bordon/Alton, Petersfield, Basingstoke, Winchester, Andover, Fareham, Gosport, New Forest, Eastleigh and Southampton.
Venues will be chosen to be safe, dementia-friendly and accessible, with practical considerations such as step-free access, accessible toilets, clear signage and suitable parking taken into account.
Courses will run 3 times in each location throughout the year. Course dates, venue details and referral information will be available shortly.
If you have questions about Mind and Memory, you can contact our team by email.
Please note that this service is not for crisis support. If you need urgent help, contact your GP, call 999, or reach out to Samaritans on 116 123. You can also access our crisis services at The Lighthouse and South West Hampshire Safe Haven.
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