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Abstract Objectives To understand how the delivery of dementia‐related social support services across the UK adapted during the pandemic. Methods We devised a two‐part online and telephone longitudinal survey. Providers participated between March and June 2021, and again 3 months later. Information relating to services delivered and delivery methods employed was collected before and during the pandemic at two timepoints (T1 and T2). Results A total of 75 participants completed the survey at T1, with 58 participants completing the survey at both timepoints. Thirty‐six participants had complete data at T1. Day care centres and support groups were the most delivered primary services. During the pandemic, services shifted from in‐person to remote or hybrid. While in‐person services started to resume at T2, most services remained hybrid. At T2, the frequency of service delivery increased, however, a decreasing trend in usage was observed across survey timepoints. The telephone was the most employed format to deliver remote and hybrid services, however, reliance on videoconferencing software significantly increased at T1. Videoconferencing software was often used alongside the telephone and emails to remotely deliver services. Conclusions Services were able to adapt and provide support to some service recipients. Complementing novel approaches to service delivery with more traditional formats may facilitate access to service recipients with limited digital literacy. Following the easing of public health measures, many service recipients may be reluctant to engage with in‐person services. Thus, the provision of in‐person and remote services needs to be carefully balanced amidst the current hybrid landscape. Patient or Public Contribution Two public advisors (a former unpaid carer and a person living with dementia) were involved in designing and piloting the tool, interpreting the results and disseminating the findings. Both public advisors have experience in delivering dementia‐related social support services before and or during the pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Background: Palliative care aims to provide holistic support for people with life-limiting illness, responding to psychological, social and spiritual needs, as well as to clinical and physical. In the United Kingdom, hospice day services (including day care, group interventions, group activities, and social events for palliative care outpatients) aim to provide opportunities for patients to gain social support, which is thought to improve their quality of life. Objectives: This research explored social support within hospice day services, to explain in detail how and why social support obtained within a hospice day service could be beneficial to palliative care patients. Design: Qualitative research using observations of hospice day services and interviews with service providers. Methods: Data collection involved nineteen interviews with hospice service providers ( n = 19) and researcher observations of hospice day services. The findings detail how patient and hospice context interact to produce mechanisms that lead to outcomes beyond the hospice day service. Results: Practical, clinical and social aspects of the hospice day service are important for patients feeling welcome and safe in the setting. The opportunity to connect with other people and work towards personal goals can boost self-confidence for patients who have lost access to meaningful activity. New friendships between patients encourages reciprocal support and feelings of belonging. It is beneficial to have permission to speak freely about topics deemed inappropriate elsewhere, because honest communication is helpful in accepting and adapting to their circumstances. Conclusion: Hospice day services facilitate group settings for reciprocal social support. This research proposes an initial programme theory that can be further developed and tested. It explains how and why, in some contexts, social support increases personal and practical resources to cope with illness and death, leading to changes outside of the hospice (to mood, interpersonal interactions and behaviour) that could improve quality of life.

Background: Dementia is a life-limiting illness, but the trajectory of dying can be difficult to establish and care at end of life can be variable and problematic. Methods: This UK study was carried out to explore the end-of-life-care experiences of people with dementia from the perspective of their family carers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 bereaved family carers of people with dementia. Results: Forty family carers (male n = 9, female n = 31) age range: 18–86 years were interviewed. Issues with poor communication were common. The hard work of caring and issues regarding unpredictability of living and dying with dementia were also commonplace within the study. Only three patients were referred for specialist palliative care support at the end of life, all of whom had a dual diagnosis of dementia and cancer. Conclusion: This qualitative study has identified that there are several gaps in the end-of-life care of people with dementia, and frequently, there is poor communication during the last year of life. The need for high-quality integrated care for people dying with dementia with appropriate support during the last year of life is identified. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected people with dementia, and in the post-pandemic era, there is an urgent need to ensure every person dying with dementia is supported to die in their preferred place and that family members are supported and enabled to be treated as the ‘expert’ in terms of their knowledge of their relatives’ care and preferences.