September 30, 2014

Monthly Dementia Caregiver Support Group

Please join us at the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging  the 1st Tuesday of each Month from 10:30 am – 12:00 noon
Reynolds Institute on Aging, Room 1253/Classroom 4 (bottom floor) for the dementia caregiver support group.  See our calendar for exact dates.

Typical caregiver reactions when a support group is suggested…

“I don’t feel comfortable talking in groups.” This is true for the many who are introverted among us. But there’s no requirement for group members to pour out their hearts. Many people benefit simply from listening to other people’s stories and perspectives, and from learning new approaches to their own caregiving situations.

“I’m doing fine. I don’t need support.” Even when this is true for a caregiver at a given instance in time, it doesn’t mean that it will remain true as caregiving goes on for months and years. Support groups give caregivers ideas for sustaining themselves in order to continue coping well. But sometimes the very idea of accepting “support” makes caregivers concerned that others will judge them to be struggling. For these caregivers, it may be more appealing to attend “caregiver education groups,” at which an invited speaker presents a topic of interest, such as stress management or dealing with Medicare. In those groups there are typically discussions among attendees after the presentation, through which caregivers still gain support.

“How can I get to a support group when I’m so busy taking care of my loved one?” Many agencies try to overcome this objection by providing simultaneous caregiver and care-recipient support groups or activities in different rooms. … Research has found that online groups provide the same positive effects as in-person groups when it comes to emotional support and validation…

 

Excerpt from an AARP article entitled, “The Reality of Caregiving Support Groups” by Barry J. Jacobs, PsyD., AARP, June 3, 2013