Alzheimer’s And Dementia Support Groups

How To Start An Alzheimers Support Group

Despite the numerous Alzheimers support group options available, you may not have found the right fit, or a group might not exist in your own area yet.

You have a few different options for starting an in-person Alzheimers support group. For a small monthly fee, you can start a Meetup group and post events to meet others in your area. You may also want to consider posting ads in your local community center, church, or newspaper.

To start an online Alzheimers support group, also consider the free tools offered by Facebook groups. You can host conversations and moderate comments for community safety. Learn more here.

Get Out And Socialize

Human beings are social creatures. When youre busy attending to the day-to-day needs of your loved one, you may find yourself feeling isolated from friends or family. Joining a caregiver support group gives you a regular time each week dedicated to outside human interaction. Whether you join a support group virtually or in person, you get the opportunity to build your social network and connect with new friends you can reach out to the next time youre in a pinch for advice, venting, or companionship.

Learn New Dementia/alzheimer Caregiving And Coping Techniques

A caregiver support group is made of up individuals at many different stages along the caregiving timeline. For this reason, a support group meeting is a beneficial time to learn and swap not only tried-and-tested caregiving advice, but coping techniques for yourself as well. Whether its learning tips or tricks to help get your loved one to eat, the best brain games to play with Alzheimers sufferers, or breathing techniques to use when youre feeling frustrated, you get the chance to learn something new every time your chat with a fellow caregiver.

Read Also: What Race Is Most Likely To Get Alzheimer Disease

About Alzheimers San Diego Support Groups

• Groups are emotionally-focused.
• Members are encouraged to attend as many meetings and groups as they like to feel best supported.
• Meetings are offered 7 days a week, at various times and are 100% confidential.
• Groups are flexible. Feel free to attend when you can.
• Groups are always FREE!

• Be respectful and kind to your fellow members.
• Give everyone a chance to talk.
• Support each other by sharing your experiences and your feelings.
• Speak in reference to yourself. For example: In my experience or I feel
• What you hear and discuss is to be kept in confidence.
• For virtual groups: Please keep your microphone on mute unless you are speaking to avoid distracting background noise. Try to log in a few minutes early to test your connection.

Regain Your Sense Of Individuality

When you spend your whole day caring for someone else, its easy to neglect your own needs. By taking time away from your caregiving duties, you give your psyche the much-needed break to evaluate your own sense of self. Caregiver support groups allow caregivers the opportunity to focus on YOU: your needs, your daily struggles, hopes, and plans for the future. Your network of caregiving friends can help you regain your sense of self-worth.

You May Like: Are There Any Treatments For Dementia

Virtual Family Support Groups

3 Different Times Weekly

At times like this, caregivers for those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can feel especially isolated and alone.

These groups will “meet” weekly with an Alzheimer’s Tennessee staff member as the host. Support partners who are family and friends are invited to join online or by phone.

For many individuals with Alzheimer’s and their care partners, support groups provide significant comfort and practical help in coping with the disease. Oftentimes, these “gatherings” serve as important sources of information as well as outlets for feelings and frustrations.

Supported in part by Vanderbilt University Medical Center Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, HRSA Grant 1-U1Q-HP 033085-01-00

American Parkinsons Disease Association

Key Specs

• Membership fee: Free
• Structure: In-person and online support groups, fitness classes
• Details: Offers a network of local chapters and virtual events, resources created specifically for veterans and first responders, and fitness and dance classes on YouTube and via Zoom.
• Things to consider: There are minimal fees for some classes.

The American Parkinsons Disease Association provides a variety of support groups and resources for Parkinsons disease patients and their family members and caregivers, everything from a support forum called Smart Patients to an Ask the Doctor section aimed at answering any question or concern you may have.

The APDA offers a nationwide search page to find local, in-person support group meetings for Parkinsons patients and their caregivers. Fitness classes for people with Parkinsons are available nationwide and, although there’s a fee involved, the APDA can help those who need financial assistance.

There are also resources for those with early-onset Parkinsons, veterans with Parkinsons, Spanish speakers, and more.

Read Also: Is There An Alzheimer’s Gene

Become A Part Of A Community That Understands You

The life of a caregiver produces certain pitfalls and frustrations that those outside of the caregiving circle might not understand. When you join a dementia or Alzheimer caregiver support group, you are surrounded by a network of individuals who understand your day-to-day struggles. In the company of like-minded people, you can feel comfortable voicing your frustrations, questions, or accomplishments without having to explain yourself. Support groups also provide you with a confidential, safe place where you can vent your negative emotions and not feel judged. And when a network of people can provide validation for your feelings of anger, grief, or defeat, it reminds you that youre not alone in your struggles.

Improve Your Mental And Spiritual Health To Prevent Caregiver Burnout

Choosing to become a caregiver for someone with Alzheimers or dementia is a long term affair, full of physically and mentally exhausting days and nights. Beneficial time away from your caregiving duties is needed to take a breath, relax, and recharge to stave off burnout so you can remain focused and engaged for the long haul. Caregiver support groups can provide the time and resources needed to work on improving your mental and spiritual health. Its important to remember that taking time to work on your mental and spiritual health is not a selfish actthe healthier you as a caregiver are, the more equipped youll be to remain keeping your loved one in good health and spirits.

Recommended Reading: How Does Vascular Dementia Affect The Family

Nassau County Alzheimers And Dementia Support Groups

Albertson:

Meeting: Fourth Thursday of the MonthTime: 1:30PM-2:30pmPlace:Shelter Rock Public Library – 165 Searingtown Road Albertson, NY 11507Contact: Sharon Reichman, 1-800-272-3900

Place:East Meadow Library – 1886 Front St, East Meadow NY 11554Contact: Fred Russo 516-997-6789 or Elyse Schwartz 516-790-3530 or Hilda Ciaccio 516-622-9588

Freeport: En Español

Grupo de Apoyo Para Cuidadores

Cuarto Miercoled del mes Tiempo: 1:00pm 2:00pmLugar:Freeport Memorial Library – 144 West. Merrick Road Freeport, NY 11520Contacto: Ada Avila, 800-272-3900

Alzheimer Disease Persons with Memory Loss Group

Meeting: Every WednesdayPlace:Withrop Univ. Hospital Welcome Ctr., Suite ML-5, 1300 Franklin Ave. Garden City, NY 11530Contact: Linda Martinez 516-663-8220

Alzheimer Disease Adult Childrens Group

Meeting: Third Wednesday of the MonthMTime: 7:30pmPlace:Withrop Univ. Hospital Welcome Ctr., Suite ML-5, 1300 Franklin Ave. Garden City, NY 11530Contact: Linda Martinez, 516-663-8220

Place:Withrop Univ. Hospital Welcome Ctr., Suite ML-5, 1300 Franklin Ave. Garden City, NY 11530Contact: Linda Martinez 516-663-8220

Meeting: Second Tuesday of the MonthTime: 10:00am-12:00pmPlace: Glen Cove Senior Center – 130 Glen St, Glen Cove, NY 11542Contact: Laurie Huenteo 516-759-9610

Meeting: Second Wednesday of the MonthTime: 6:00pm-9:30pmPlace:Grace Plaza– 15 St. Pauls Place Great Neck NY 11020Contact: Gina Irwin, 516-466-3001

Long Beach:

Massapequa:

Merrick:

Alzheimer Disease Caregivers Group

Oceanside:

Caregiver Support Groups Help Alzheimer & Dementia Caregivers

If youre a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimers disease or dementia, its important to know that youre not alone. The daily toll of personally taking care and worrying for your loved one can induce stress, burnouts, and taxing effects on your mental health. To combat these negative feelings, many caregivers find that building a local support system is a key way to get help. Alzheimer and Dementia Caregiver support groups can provide emotional support and information, as well as a place to share ideas and experiences with other caregivers and family members of people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Wondering how a support group can improve your daily routine? Here are five benefits of how joining a caregiver support group can benefit you:

Don’t Miss: Is Drug Induced Dementia Reversible

Find Support Near You Find Support Near You

Use our dementia directory to find local support services for people with dementia and their carers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Services are delivered in a variety of formats based on local circumstances. Weve made it easier to find services that are held at a local venue or delivered online, over the telephone or in your own home. Please use the dementia directory above and click on the tabs in the search results to see whats available.

Currently, we are unable to display any care services under the Care homes or Care or support in the home categories. We apologise for any inconvenience and were working to rectify this situation as soon as possible. In the meantime, please look at the directories on the Care Quality Commission and Regulation and Quality Improvement Agency websites.

For any technical issues with our dementia directory, please call Customer Services on .

If you are looking to list your services, please go to dementia directory business.

Join A Caregiver Support Group Today

Interested in joining a caregiver support group? We offer a variety of caregiver support groups throughout New York State including Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Warren, Washington, Franklin counties as well as the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. For more information, visit our support group homepage to find a support group in your area or call our Caregiver Telephone Support Line at .

You May Like: Is Genetic Counseling An Option For Alzheimer’s Disease

Lewy Body Dementia Association

Key Specs

• Membership fee: Most groups are free, some may collect voluntary donations
• Structure:Online, phone, video conferencing
• Details: Offers support groups specifically for spouses and has active Facebook support groups.
• Things to consider: Support groups are not available in all states

Lewy Body Dementia is a condition involving abnormal protein deposits in the brain called Lewy bodies. These deposits affect brain chemical levels, which may result in abnormal thinking, movement, and behavior, as well as mood disorders.

Lewy Body Dementia Association offers several types of virtual groups, internet discussion forums, and more. Its offers virtual, meetings for anyone living with LBDeven those who are not yet diagnosed but are seeking information.

If you’re seeking a combined support group for people diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and their care partners, Living Together with Lewy is another Facebook group that is available. This one aims to help those who are newly diagnosed, people with early symptoms of the condition, and others who are seeking advice around a possible diagnosis.

LBDA also offers an online support group if you have a spouse with Parkinsons disease dementia or Lewy body dementia : LBD Caring Spouses.

Alzheimers Support Groups For People Living With Alzheimers

AlzConnected

Powered by the Alzheimers Association, AlzConnected is a free online community. As the name suggests, the group offers a place for people living with Alzheimers to connect, share stories, and support one another. The site features an active message board where people can get and give advice.

This message board offers thousands of posts on a variety of topics, including I Have Alzheimers or Another Dementia, What Would You Tell Your Future Care Partner? Alzheimers Under Age 65, and many more. There is also a section for discussion in Spanish, as well as a forum to explore questions, issues, and concerns about FDA-approved treatments for Alzheimers disease.

Memory People

Memory People was founded in 2010 by Rick Phelps after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers at the age of 57. The group was created to provide assistance, information, support, and encouragement. Its a great place for people to hear the stories of others, and share their own. The page is also home to a collection of videos hosted by Rick. From stigma in dementia to caregiver guilt, his videos explore a range of topics.

Much more than simply a place to gather information, Memory People has grown into a community.

CONNECT WITH A SPECIALIST

Family Caregiver Alliance

You can also join an e-mail network, where you can connect with other family caregivers to ask questions and freely talk about your challenges in a safe place.

Recommended Reading: Alzheimer Service Center Morrow Ga

Alzheimers/dementia Caregiver Support Group

IMPORTANT: Support Group schedules can change. Before attending, please call the facilitator to ask about the make-up of the group and confirm meeting details. If the facilitator is unavailable please call our Helpline at 844-373-4400.

After Dementia

Caregivers of Lewy Body & Frontotemporal Dementia

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Support Groups

Mens Caregiver Support Group

How To Find An Alzheimers Support Group Online

Online Alzheimers support groups offer flexibility in terms of time and travel, as well as safety due to COVID-19 concerns. Depending on the type of online group, sessions may be in a synchronous format where everyone joins at the same time, such as live group talks or meetings.

Other groups, such as message boards and community chats, may be asynchronous. This means you can log on whenever you want, which gives you a bit more flexibility in terms of time.

Some Alzheimers organizations, such as the Alzheimers Association, offer virtual resources as well. Here, along with support groups, you can find online message boards for people living with Alzheimers disease, plus their friends, family members, and caregivers.

The Alzheimers Associations free message boards are offered via ALZConnected. One message board called I Have Alzheimers or Another Dementia is designed specifically for people affected with this brain condition.

This is a public forum, though, so be careful about sharing any personal information. And because message boards are intended for information only, not medical advice, its best to check with your doctor before trying any recommendations you read.

You may also decide to join one Alzheimers support groups on Facebook, such as:

• The Caregiver Space

Another virtual option to support caregivers is the Alzheimers Foundation of America helpline.

You May Like: When Is A Dementia Patient Ready For Hospice

Emotional Support Groups For Alzheimers

Caregivers take on tremendous responsibilities that can easily overwhelm them. Ongoing anxiety, guilt and sleeplessness can lead to problems with physical health. You may eventually withdraw from friends and social activities and soon find yourself feeling alone, depressed and exhausted.

The National Alliance for Caregiving indicates that more than 65 million Americans care for a chronically disabled, ill or senior family member or friend. Those caregivers provide an average of 20 hours of care per week, often while still managing a full-time job and caring for their family.

Finding a support group to share stories with, seek advice from and simply have available to listen to you on a regular basis can help lower caregiver stress and alleviate the health risks that caregivers face. Plus, support groups have information on community resources for adult day care services, Alzheimers education and other programs that can ease some of the workload.

Alzheimers Tennessee Caregiver Support Groups Meeting In

ANDERSON COUNTY

Keystone Adult Day Program, First United Methodist Church – meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. Contact support group facilitator Phyllis Spangler 483-6631 for more information.

St. Marys Church, Oak Ridge, Wardell Youth Building meeting on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 10am. Contact support group facilitator Diane Wright 482-2875 or Gail Hug for more information.

CARTER COUNTY

First Presbyterian Church, 119 W F St., Elizabethton – meeting on the 3rd Monday of the month at 12pm. Contact support group facilitator Tracey Kendall Wilson 232-8993 for more information. *New location

COFFEE COUNTY

Bailey Manor, Manchester – meeting on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 5pm. Contact support group facilitator Fran Gray 434-2348 for more information.

Brookdale Tullahoma – meeting on the 1st Tuesday at 5pm. Contact support group facilitator Fran Gray 434-2348 for more information.

Morning Pointe of Tullahoma – meeting on the 1st Wednesday of the month at noon. Contact support group facilitator Fran Gray 434-2348 for more information and to RSVP for lunch.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

First Baptist Church, Fairfield Glade – meeting in the Fellowship Hall on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 11am. Contact support group facilitators Margaret Brant 337-9630 and Tara Mayo for more information.

DAVIDSON COUNTY

GREENE COUNTY

HAMBLEN COUNTY

HARDIN COUNTY

HAWKINS COUNTY

KNOX COUNTY

LOUDON COUNTY

MADISON COUNTY

MAURY COUNTY

MONROE COUNTY

You May Like: What Are The Pathological Features Of Alzheimer’s