Caregiving for a loved one or a friend is a huge responsibility. It can be a hugely rewarding, positive experience. However, many find that it can be extremely lonely and isolating without proper support from loved ones or caregiver support groups. Couple that with the nature of a pandemic, which can be downright depressing. That’s why Your Key To Senior Living Options is sponsoring caregiver support in The Villages Florida and surrounding communities.
BENEFITS OF A CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
One of the main benefits of caregiver support groups is that they provide much-needed social support. This is especially important when family and friends aren’t supportive or you cannot leave the house either due to a pandemic or lack of additional support, allowing you more freedom. Support group members validate each other’s experiences. It’s a relief to know that what you’re going through is normal and that you’re not the only one with these feelings, whether they be negative or positive. Support groups are also great places to ask for advice, find out about useful community resources, or vent pent-up frustrations. Since everyone is going through similar struggles, you won’t have to worry about judgment or confusion from non-caregivers. Decades of research and anecdotal evidence show that there are clear benefits to participating in caregiver support groups.
Here are 8 top benefits:
- Feeling less lonely, isolated, or judged
- Reducing depression, anxiety, or distress
- Gaining a sense of empowerment and control
- Getting advice or information about practical solutions or treatment options
- Improving or learning healthy coping skills
- Getting a better understanding of what to expect in the future
- Improving caregiving skills and giving a better quality of life to your older adult
- Learning about ways to keep your older adult at home longer
WHY CHOOSE OUR CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
A support group, either online or in-person, is a place where caregivers can share expertise, concerns, or experiences in a safe, supportive environment. Online support groups for caregivers offer many benefits, including the ability to access them wherever you are. There are two types of online support groups. First is the kind you find via social media. As social media continues to grow, a popular platform for finding online support groups is through Facebook. Because so many people are on Facebook, many caregiver support groups can be created and utilized. You can choose a caregiver support group based on the person you are caring for – like a family member, spouse, parent, or friend – or based on the illness or condition of the person you are caring for. Although these types of groups can be useful, they are often overwhelming for caregivers to sift through the number of posts and opinions offered in these types of groups.
The second is an in-person support group sponsored or facilitated by a professional support person. Your Key To Senior Living Options provides a moderated group for families, partners, and other caregivers who want a safe place to discuss the stresses, challenges, and rewards of providing care for adults with disorders such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, brain injury, and other chronic debilitating health conditions. It is an open group allowing participants to join at any point within the year.
The group meets on the second Friday of the month from 2-3:30 PM EST at Wildwood Community Center, President’s Hall.
Won’t you join us? To learn more about our caregiver support group in The Villages, call the group facilitator – Josephine Cirrinone, at 352-766-1050 or email her at josephine@yourkeytoseniorlivingoptions.com.
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