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Feature
Story |
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Support groups give members the chance
to learn more about caregiving or their
loved one’s physical condition,
to exchange feelings and ideas, and to
make new friends.
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Reaching Out to Others: Support
Groups Offer Caregivers Advice, Insight, and
Friendship
Caring for your loved one can be a rewarding
experience, but it can also be physically and
emotionally draining. Some caregivers may feel
overwhelmed with new demands and little personal
time. They may need emotional support, but friends
and family members can’t always relate
to their situation. Joining a support group
can fill that void.
What Is a Support Group?
A support group includes people in the same
situation who meet and discuss relevant issues
and experiences on a regular basis. Besides
offering emotional support, these groups give
members the chance to learn more about caregiving
or their loved one’s physical condition,
to exchange feelings and ideas, and to make
new friends.
Meetings are usually informal and may be held
at a church, recreation center, hospital, or
other community space. Some groups meet at a
member’s home or workplace. Size is not
important: Groups may be large or small. Often
groups meet for 90 minutes to two hours. The
frequency depends on the group. Some have weekly
meetings, and others might meet every other
week or every month.
Who Runs a Support Group?
A support group leader is usually a therapist,
another caregiver, social worker, or physician.
The support group leader keeps the discussion
honest and open. Ideally, this person should
be someone who has a positive outlook, is well
organized, and always maintains the confidentiality
of the group. Because part of a caregiver support
group’s purpose is to provide members
with the resources they need, a good support
group leader should be actively involved in
the community.
Although it may be useful to share some negative
experiences with other members, the discussion
should stress problem-solving skills, coping
techniques, and other solutions. To keep discussions
fresh and the group moving forward, most leaders
rotate every few years.
What Kind of Support Group Is Right for
Me?
If you have just started to take care of your
loved one, you may want to choose a general
caregiving support group, which provides general
information and support for all caregivers.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
disease or another chronic condition, you may
want to join a group that focuses on that particular
disease. Children of older parents and caregiving
spouses also have their own groups.
Some groups stress education and may have professional
speakers contribute to parts of the meeting.
For example, an Alzheimer’s disease caregiver
group may invite an occupational therapist to
talk to the group about helping your loved one
move around the house. A more general caregiver
group may invite a stress management consultant
to give tips on preventing caregiver burnout.
Because every caregiver’s needs are unique,
you may need to look into several types of groups
before choosing.
The Benefits of Support Groups
Joining a support group can bring you many
rewarding benefits.
| • |
Help
lower stress. Caregiving is a full-time
job. You could experience irritability,
mood swings, lack of appetite, sleep problems,
chronic colds, and migraine headaches.
Long-term caregiving stress can lead to
depression. Studies show that sharing
one’s innermost thoughts and troubles
with others can lower stress. Sometimes
just voicing fears and frustrations can
be therapeutic. |
| • |
Help you cope with
guilt and other uncomfortable feelings.
Support groups give caregivers an anonymous
forum in which to discuss some topics
that can be really embarrassing or difficult
to admit. Members soon find that almost
every problem they’ve faced has
been encountered by someone else in the
group. They also learn to focus on the
positive and not the negative. |
| • |
Prevent caregiver
burnout. Attending support group meetings
gives you a much-needed break from your
duties. Besides giving you a chance to
socialize, these groups also offer tips
and solutions to prevent you from neglecting
your own emotional and physical health.
A recent study conducted by the National
Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found
that over half of those who provide care
for their parents (and one in four who
provide any care) experienced stress and
strain. |
| • |
Give valuable educational
information. During these meetings,
expert speakers and other caregivers share
valuable information about community resources,
coping techniques, and other insights.
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| • |
Improve communication
skills. By learning to share your feelings
with others, you’ll be more open to
discussing the care of your loved one with
your siblings and other family members.
You can then ask for more help from them
to give you a much-needed break. |
| • |
Offer certainty
at an uncertain time. People caring
for loved ones with chronic conditions
often find it hard to cope day to day
because they don’t know what to
expect. Sharing these fears can help them
cope with the uncertainty and find ways
to control what they can. |
How Do I Find a Support Group?
There are many resources for locating support
groups in your area.
| • |
Ask other
caregivers in your area about local support
groups. |
| • |
Check your local newspaper
for support group meeting information. |
| • |
Talk to your loved
one’s physician. He or she may be
able to refer you to a few groups. |
| • |
Ask about support groups
at your local hospital or hospice. Many
hospitals and hospices sponsor support
groups for caregiving. |
| • |
Check out programs offered
at your church, mosque, or synagogue. |
| • |
Contact your local
library or town’s municipal services
team. They may know of some local support
groups. If you go in person, check out
the bulletin boards. They’re often
filled with flyers, announcements, and
other information on local services that
aren’t advertised elsewhere. |
| • |
Your local Area Agency
on Aging can hook you up with support
groups in your area. To find the branch
nearest you, visit http://www.eldercare.gov/.
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Is a Support Group Right for Me?
Support groups aren’t for everyone. Some
people prefer to handle their problems on their
own and don’t feel comfortable sharing
their feelings with a group of people they don’t
know.
To help determine if a support group is right
for you, ask the support group leader the following
questions:
| • |
Do members
have to attend every meeting? |
| • |
Is the group sponsored
by a particular organization? Is there
information about that organization? |
| • |
How long has the group
been meeting? |
| • |
How many members usually
attend? |
Discuss the pros and cons of the various types
of support groups with friends, family members,
and your physician. If you have misgivings and
fears about joining a group, talk about them.
Constructive feedback can help you make the
best choice for your unique situation.
Before deciding to join, ask yourself the following
questions:
| • |
Do I want
a group that stresses education or socializing?
|
| • |
Do I want a small
group or large group? |
| • |
Do I want a professional
leading the discussion, or another caregiver? |
| • |
Do I want a group that’s
sponsored by a local or national organization? |
| • |
Does the group meet
often enough (or too often)? |
| • |
Does the group meet
at a convenient time and at a convenient
location for me? |
Support Group Alternatives
Some caregivers may not be able to travel to
regular support group meetings, or they might
not be comfortable sharing their feelings in
front of many people. For people who might benefit
from one-on-one counseling, some support groups
can connect them with another caregiver (sometimes
called a “buddy”) in their area.
They can talk on the phone or get together regularly.
Another alternative to a traditional support
group is a virtual support group. Offered in
chat rooms and through e-mail lists on the Internet,
these virtual support groups give caregivers
an arena where they can talk openly about their
fears, have their questions answered, and examine
their own situation with feedback from another
caregiver.
Virtual support groups are helpful to homebound
caregivers and to those with erratic schedules.
People in virtual support groups can participate
via e-mail at any time of the day or night.
However, some of these online groups aren’t
supervised by a physician or therapist. Those
choosing to participate should proceed with
caution. A caregiver should never follow any
medical advice from an anonymous virtual support
group source without first checking with his
or her physician.
Be sure to also check message boards on Web
sites dealing with your loved one’s medical
situation. Many offer chat rooms and e-mail
lists for caregivers. Here are some sources
to investigate:
References
1. “Types
of Support Groups,” American Cancer
Society (ACS), 2003.
2. “Considerations
When Looking for a Support Group,”
ACS, 2003.
3. “When
Should I Consider a Support Group?”
ACS, 2003.
4. “Eldercare
Locator,” U.S. Administration on Aging,
Nov. 16, 2001.
5. “Caregiver
Guide,” Children of Aging Parents,
2003.
6. “Connections,”
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders
Association, 2003.
7. “How
to Find Online Support Groups,” ACS,
2003.
8. “Online
Services,” Family Caregiver Alliance,
2001.
Researcher: JoAnne Rufo, Care
Manager
Writer: Christine Norris
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, MD, MPH
Editors: Andrea King, Joanne Poeggel
Date Written: 5/23/03
Date Last Revised: 6/20/03
Source of Material: Rockhill Communications,
14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004, (610)
667-2040, http://www.rockhillcommunications.com |
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