IN-PERSON SUPPORT GROUPS (Invisible Disability Support Group of Greater Iowa City): share experiences and challenges, care, positive feedback, understanding and general support.
Alzheimer’s Association’s Caregiver Support Groups are designed to provide emotional, educational and social support for caregivers. Members share their experiences, challenges, hopes and fears in an atmosphere of shared support. Participants are encouraged to maintain their own personal, physical and emotional health, as well as optimally care for the person with dementia. Group is free and open to the public.
One of the hardest aspects of caregiving is feeling trapped in a situation that nobody else can possibly understand. Caregiving takes significant time and effort and it can be overwhelming at times. Caregiver burnout is not simply a term — it is an actual condition that is increasing almost faster than the population of seniors and disabled adults in need of care.
You are not alone. Join one of our Caregiver Support groups to listen and learn from other professional and family caregivers, discuss your caregiving circumstances and stresses, and go through stress reduction tips and exercises with Executive Director Gary A. Powell. (If you would like to talk to someone privately, who will understand and help guide you, TCF also provides one-on-one and group support sessions in-office.)
I facilitate a FREE monthly support group (not group therapy which is different) on the last Monday of every month from 6-7:15 pm for individuals and couples currently caring for someone with dementia or dementia-related issues. Typical diagnoses discussed are: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Lewy Bodies, Huntington’s, or any other degenerative, chronic neurological condition that leads to memory and cognition complications. Please contact me if you are interested BEFORE attending your first meeting. Thank you.