MindforYou Supported Holidays

"A diagnosis of dementia shouldn't mean holidays become a thing of the past."

MindforYou Supported Holidays make what may seem like the impossible, possible! They offer holidays all year round in a variety of beautiful locations such as the Cotswolds and the Peak District. What's more, their holidays are specifically adapted for families who have a member living with dementia.

MindforYou was born from the Founder, Carol Sargent's own experience of her mother being diagnosed with dementia in 2007. The company started operating in 2014 and has now taken over 600 guests on 92 holidays!

What will the itinerary of a MindforYou holiday to be like?

Each of MindforYou's holidays have a structure, but they ensure that there is still some flexibility to match everyone's personal preferences and needs.

Example of what you can expect from the Lake District holiday:

Monday -

Meet the group for lunch at Lowther Castle cafe. You will be able to have a look around the exhibitions, shop and gardens in this fascinating attraction. Spend the evening making new friends with fellow holiday-goers and the holiday helpers.

Tuesday -

Begin the day by visiting MindforYou's favourite lake, Ullswater and enjoy lunch at Inn on the Lake. This will be followed by experiencing a trip on the Ullswater Ferry. Games will be on the cards for the evening!

Wednesday -

Seeing Lake Windermere is a must so this is where you will be heading on day 3 of your holiday. After some lunch by the lake, the group will visit the Laurel and Hardy Museum for a giggle. In the evening you will get to sit back and listen to some music from local musicians.

Thursday -

On day 4 you will be off to Derwent Water to see the "Surprise View" before exploring Keswick. You may like to have a browse around the market or even take the brewery tour. As it will be your final night, following dinner you will get to enjoy MindforYou's holiday slideshow.

Friday -

Your final day will consist of a visit to the Museum of Lakeside Life & Industry to discover how the unique landscape has shaped their lives. After a bite to eat at the Bakestone cafe, it will be time to say your farewells to the group and head back home.

What support can MindforYou provide?

MindforYou are passionate about tailoring their holidays to fit around everyone's needs. This is why they make a point of visiting all holiday goers in their own home's before the date of their holiday to get to know them and what their individual needs are. They aim to make everyone's holiday as stress-free and enjoyable as possible by supporting you and accommodating for your needs. Here is a list of the types of support they can provide:

Dementia Support - There will be a high staff to guest ratio to guarantee that carers have an opportunity to relax and recharge their batteries.  Specialist support will be available between 9 am - 9 pm at the accommodation and during excursions. They have 2 support package options which can be chosen from: 'Gold Support Package' and 'Platinum Support Package'. Click here to find out what these packages include.

Transport - MindforYou is on hand to assist you with arranging optimum travel to and from your holiday destination whether it be by car, train or plane. If you wish they can organise for the transport to be door to door, or for a MindforYou travel companion to join you on your journey for support. Please do bear in mind that you will be required to pay for the transport, but the prices will be equivalent to low-cost taxi fares.

Accommodation - MindforYou has lovely dementia-friendly properties all around the country which are thoroughly accessible and have been chosen with their guests at the forefront of their minds. All of the bedrooms have their own en-suite, and there are laundry facilities on-site to use in case of an accident. Some of the properties even have a pool for you to use at your leisure! MindforYou have a gallery showcasing their stunning properties on their website here.

Specialist Equipment - It is important to MindforYou that they provide for your needs as best as they can to ensure that you get that 'home from home' experience. Therefore they are able to provide a wide range of equipment. Whilst booking a holiday you will be asked to fill out a Support Questionnaire which will help them understand what equipment you will require. They can supply a range of bathroom, bedroom, seating, and mobility equipment. Click here for more examples.

Personal Care - If you are receiving a care package from a care agency, MindforYou can work with you and them to arrange for you to continue receiving your personal care package for the duration of the holiday.

Excursions - The MindforYou team want your holiday to be as enjoyable as possible and open suggestions with open arms. If there is something particular you would like to do whilst on holiday, or somewhere you would like to go don't be hesitant to ask. All excursions are completely optional so if you're not a fan of boat trips, you won't be forced to participate.

Food & Drink - MindforYou love to tailor their food & drink menus to their guests. Let the team know what preferences are and they will try their best to incorporate these into the menu. All food will be home-cooked, and when eating out MindforYou always makes sure that the cafe's are dementia friendly and able to offer for intolerances. Please advise MindforYou of any dietary requirements you may have as they will happily cater to any food intolerance. You can find examples of the food menus here.

Funding Opportunities - The team as MindforYou understand that funding a holiday can be difficult. As a result, they offer a 1-hour complimentary service where they discuss possible funding opportunities with you.

The Odom Family's Story

MindforYou has made is possible for the Odom Family to look forward to family holidays again.

In 2015, Ben Odom, 61 at the time was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Dementia. As time went on and Ben's condition progressed, his wife Janet realised that conventional holidays were becoming more of a strain than a relaxing break for Ben and the family.

This lead Janet to look into holiday alternatives which was when she came across MindforYou. She contacted the team and booked the family onto a holiday to Norfolk.

Janet's feedback from the holiday:

“MindforYou gave time for us and the kids to be together without having to worry, it was such a relief. Ben and I could be independent if we wanted, but I knew that support was available throughout the day if we needed it. It was brilliant – and the food was amazing!"

“The whole holiday was a surprise, but in a nice way. It was brilliant. The kids really enjoyed it and want to go again. I would definitely recommend MindforYou, we had such a lovely time.”

MindforYou's are making it possible for people living with dementia and their families/Carer's to continue enjoying holiday's away together. If you know someone who has given up on holiday's due to dementia, MindforYou may be able to relinquish their hope!