Carers support groups in Hertfordshire are the one entry on our What's On pages written for the person doing the caring. Carers in Hertfordshire runs monthly hubs in Harpenden, Hitchin, Ware and Potters Bar. The Alzheimer's Society runs carers' groups in Hertford, Ware, Potters Bar and Redbourn. There are also compassionate cafes and bereavement cafes in several towns. This article explains what they offer and where they are.
We work alongside family carers every day. The thing we notice most is that nobody asks how they are. A carers' group is an hour a month where somebody does.
Why an hour a month matters
Caring for a parent or partner is often done alone and unseen. The NHS guidance on loneliness in older people is about older people. However, the same risks apply to the person caring for them, who may have given up their own groups to do it. A carers' group is practical as well as kind. It is where people find out about respite, benefits, equipment and the small tricks that make a hard week easier.
Carers in Hertfordshire's hubs are run by the county's carers' charity. They are a good first call for anyone new to caring. The Alzheimer's Society groups are specific to dementia. Compassionate cafes, run by Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City and Peace Hospice in Potters Bar, are for anyone living with loss or serious illness.
What is a carers' group like?
Most run for an hour or two, once a month, in a church hall or community centre. There is tea and a facilitator. Some have a speaker, but most are simply a conversation among people in the same position. Nobody has to say anything. The Carers in Hertfordshire hubs ask you to book, by phone, email or online. The Alzheimer's Society asks you to contact the provider first. The cafes are drop in.
On our pages you will find the Harpenden hub at the Trust Halls on the third Thursday and the Hitchin hub at Christchurch on the first Monday. The Ware hub meets at Allenbury's monthly, and the Potters Bar hub at King Charles the Martyr. The Alzheimer's Society carers' groups meet in Hertford once a month on a Tuesday and in Ware at the Beefeater on the second Tuesday. In Potters Bar they meet at St John's Methodist on the second Thursday, and in Redbourn at the village hall on the second Friday. Harpenden also has a Compassionate Café at the Trust Halls and a Bereavement Café at the Salvation Army. Ware has a group for bereaved carers.
Is there a cost?
All of the carers' groups and cafes on our pages are free. Age UK Hertfordshire's quarterly carers' support group for Dacorum is also free.
How do I get to a group when I cannot leave the person I care for?
This is the real obstacle, and it is why many carers never go. Some groups welcome the person being cared for too. The memory cafes and singing groups on our pages are designed for both of you. Where you need an hour on your own, our respite care can cover it. A regular companionship visit timed to the group is a simple way to make the hour fixed.
Our guide to taking carer's leave from work covers the other side of the same problem, for carers who are still working.
One more thing we have learned about carers support groups in Hertfordshire. Carers go once and feel better. Then they do not go back, because the hour is hard to protect. Fixing the hour, with a relative, a neighbour or a regular visit from us, is what turns one good afternoon into real support.
Where to find carers support groups in Hertfordshire
Each of our town pages lists the carers' groups and cafes we know of under carers' groups, with the day, the venue and how to book. We confirm the details with the organisers and check the pages every week.
St Albans · Harpenden · Radlett and Shenley · Hemel Hempstead · Berkhamsted · Tring · Hitchin · Hertford and Ware · Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield · Potters Bar · All of Hertfordshire
Common questions about carers support groups in Hertfordshire
Do I have to be registered as a carer to go to a group?
No. Carers support groups in Hertfordshire are open to anyone looking after a relative or friend. It does not matter whether you have registered with Carers in Hertfordshire or claimed any benefit. Registering is worth doing anyway, because it opens up their other support.
Can I bring the person I care for?
It depends on the group. The compassionate cafes and memory cafes welcome both of you. The Carers in Hertfordshire hubs and the Alzheimer's Society carers' groups are usually for carers only. So ask when you book.
Can Starling cover the hour so I can go?
Yes. A companionship or respite visit can be timed to a monthly group so that you can go, and families often arrange exactly that. Our St Albans office is on 01727 324 127.
If you are the one doing the caring, an hour a month with people in the same position is not a luxury. The What's On for Older People pages list the groups town by town. We are on 01727 324 127 if you would like to talk through how to make the hour possible.
Arranging Care Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here to guide you from your very first call.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, so you can decide what feels right in your own time.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.