Community Groups
Community Support for those Caring for Elderly Parents
Finding community when are you caring for aging parents can be a challenge. The amount of time you spend helping your parent makes it difficult to find free time for existing interests much less to find the time to join a new community of family caregivers. Caregiving can be a very isolating experience. You may feel that no one else understands what you are going through and all the pressure that you feel. You may lose touch with friends who don’t understand what you are going through.
Finding community by connecting with people who do understand your situation is important. It does not have to be a large community group. It could be a small group of friends or acquaintances that are sharing the same experience. While each family is unique, it can be a great relief to find out that other people are experiencing similar issues.
Finding community while caring for parents
1. Check in with the local Senior center to see if they sponsor support groups and educational meetings for caregivers or can direct you to agencies that sponsor groups.
2. If your family member has a specific disease such as heart disease or Alzheimer’s disease check in with nonprofits that serve that community. They may sponsor support groups and educational events where you can connect with other family caregivers.
3. Check in at your church or temple and other local places of worship to see if they sponsor support groups. At your own church or temple, consider asking that a group be formed if there is enough interest.
4. Consider finding community on line through websites like EldercareABC that bring together people coping with elder care issues and experts in the field. On line support group through Yahoo or MSN are another option. On line groups can be a good match if you are a hands-on caregiver for your parent and find it difficult to get out for support group meetings. They also have the benefit of being available at whatever time of the day you have time to check in.
Finding community will only work if the group you join comes together to create a supportive atmosphere. You may need to attend more than one group before you find one that feels right for you. If you belong to a group that has a leader, it is important that you trust that person.
Whether you join a group that already exists or help create a new group, the group should have explicit ground rules that all the members agree to abide by. Ground rules make the group a safer place to share your caregiving challenges. Some suggested ground rules are:
· Members maintain confidentiality and do not discuss what came up in the group with others.
· Interactions between members are respectful.
· Refrain from judging your fellow members. · Your intention is to be helped and to help your fellow members.
· Each member has the opportunity to speak and be listened to with attention.
Finding community and feeling understood and supported is a vital piece of your caregiving journey. Being with people who support you can be the difference between giving in to caregiver stress and overwhelm or continuing to care for your family member. Whether you choose to join a formal support group or find an informal community of friends experiencing the challenges of elder care, sharing your experiences and feelings can end your isolation and help you stay strong.
About the Author
In the 90′s Stephen and Sandra Joyce moved back home to Ireland and began a 10 year care experience to help care for his parents. This inspired them to found EldercareABC.com. The site includes a team of specialists to serve those caring for an aging parent and offers a place where caregivers can be heard and contribute to their community. Stephen Joyce EldercareABC, Inc. EldercareABC Blog EldercareABC, Inc.
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This entry was posted on Friday, February 18th, 2011 at 1:55 am and is filed under Seniors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.