Warm welcomes: Getting the support you need on Talking Point

Whether it’s you or someone else in your life who has been diagnosed with dementia, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and worried sometimes about what is to come. Remember that you are not alone and there are many people in similar situations who are keen to connect with each other. 

Thousands of people dealing with all stages of dementia share experiences and support each other through our online community, Talking Point. It includes an area for people who have been recently diagnosed, and volunteers are always on hand to welcome new members.

All Talking Point volunteers started as members themselves, with their own questions and worries, and so understand what it’s like not to know where to begin. 

2am cuppa

One new member, whose husband had recently been diagnosed, browsed the forums for months before, in a moment of desperation at two in the morning, finally deciding to post a question. In the time it took her to make a cup of tea and return to her computer, she had pages of supportive replies from other members with ideas and tips based on their own experiences.

Another member dealing with his diagnosis felt empowered and more able to face the future after being able to identify with other people’s fears. 

Look around 

Whatever you are going through, chances are there is someone on Talking Point who will understand. If you’re unsure about joining, you can start by looking around the various forums and getting a feel of how members support each other. 

After signing up, some people start by posting a message to introduce themselves in our welcome forum, which is specifically for new community members. Others prefer to browse the discussions for a while, reading what other members have written, before asking their own questions or replying to other people’s posts.