Social & Community

Caregiver Support Groups — How They Can Help

If you’re taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or another form of dementia, your caregiving role may sometimes make you feel overwhelmed and alone. “Being a caregiver can be emotionally and physically stressful and often quite isolating,” explains Elizabeth Hope, Program Coordinator for the UAB Alzheimer Family Program, which provides ongoing caregiver support groups for those taking care of loved ones with AD and other forms of dementia. “Support groups give caregivers a chance to regularly connect with others facing similar challenges, which can help reduce stress levels and feelings of isolation. Also, caregivers receive vital information about coping skills and important resources in their local area that can help ease the burden of caregiving.”

A Way to Share with People Who Understand

Many caregivers struggle with feelings of loss related to the changing relationship they’ve experienced with their loved one; support groups can provide a vital communication outlet in which to share these and other important feelings. “Most caregivers are in the process of losing an important person in their lives,” explains Betty Roberts, also a Program Coordinator for the UAB Alzheimer Family Program and caregiver support groups. “One of the most vital benefits support groups offer is a way for caregivers to connect with one another in a personal way,” she adds. “The most authentic people for them to learn from are each other because they have walked in the same shoes.” Roberts also says that support groups can provide a safe, understanding environment in which caregivers can share feelings of anger, grief, and loss – without the fear of being judged. “In our current Internet age, many caregivers don’t attend support groups because they think they’ll find all the answers they need on the Web. While the Internet can be a good resource, it can’t replace the connection with other caregivers that support groups provide,” Roberts says.

Providing Valuable Answers and Resources

Hope emphasizes that support groups go far beyond providing an important way for caregivers to connect and share their feelings. “Our caregiver support groups are also action-oriented and focused on providing our members with practical solutions and resources that can help them overcome the many challenges they face on a daily basis,” she explains. “We want caregivers to understand that resources are available to help them. When problems occur, there are answers.” For example, Hope regularly provides speakers to share their expertise on a variety of topics important to caregivers, such as living wills, long-term care planning, hospice care, and financial issues. “While interacting with other caregivers is meaningful, we go beyond conversation to providing much-needed information to our members. This is a vitally important part of what support groups can provide,” Hope observes. She adds that support groups can provide caregivers key information related to:

• Education about AD and dementia, including current research;
• Tips on how caregivers can take care of themselves and keep a positive mental attitude;
• Guidance on how to ask family members for help in caregiving; and
• Resources in the local community that can support caregivers and patients.

“Support groups provide a safe place to share and communicate among people who understand,” says Hope. “But they also give caregivers practical information, resources, and solutions to support them every step of the way.”