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Highlands Today

Evening Support Group Starts In October

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Lyn and Bill Roche

Published: September 21, 2007

One of our greatest joys is volunteering as facilitators of a weekly caregiver support group. Every Thursday at 1 p.m., we meet with a number of Highlands County residents who care for loved ones with dementia.

Since October 2000, Crown Pointe Assisted Living Facility has donated its activity room, coffee and cookies. At present, the majority of caregivers in our group are spousal caregivers - they take care of their husbands or wives. Most of them don't work outside the home and a daytime meeting works best for them.

However, there's also a growing need in the county for an evening group. Many adult children with daytime jobs care for elderly parents. Some spousal caregivers may prefer to attend an evening meeting.

About one in four American families cares for someone over the age of 50. The majority of caregivers today are actually only 35-64 years old. Approximately 75 percent of them are women. Two-thirds of them have two jobs in addition to caring for another person.

Granted, these figures include caregivers caring for loved ones over the age of 50 who suffer from a variety of illnesses. The majority cares for someone with a form of memory impairment or cognitive impairment. In recent years, the number of persons diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's has increased dramatically. Early onset is the term used when someone under the age of 65 has Alzheimer's.

This past March, the National Alzheimer's Association announced that every 72 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer's. We called the association and asked if the figure included all types of dementia such as Lewy Body Dementia, Picks Disease and others. We were told the figure was exclusively for Alzheimer's.

Seven out of 10 persons with Alzheimer's live at home and are cared for by a family member or close friend. The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Association told us there are 479,875 known cases of Alzheimer's in Florida right now, which means one out every 38 people in the state. The figure for Highlands County is currently 4,755.

When Bobbie Clark of Florida Hospital called us recently and asked if we'd volunteer to facilitate an evening caregiver support group, we were delighted. Bobbie is a Florida Hospital Community Outreach Coordinator at Highlands Ridge. Florida Hospital and Highlands Ridge are wellness partners and Bobbie's presence at Highlands Ridge has greatly improved the health and fitness of the residents.

We asked her if the caregiver group could include any residents of the county who wants to attend an evening care meeting. In the welcoming custom of the residents and staff at Highlands Ridge, the doors are open to anyone caring for a loved one who is memory impaired.

This new group will not replace the Thursday group. It is an additional way of serving the needs of caregivers in Highlands County. The evening group will gather every Tuesday beginning Oct. 2, in The Tavern at the North Course of Highlands Ridge. The time is 7 to 8 p.m. Call Bobbie Clark at 314-0342 for additional information and directions.

Studies show the overwhelming positive aspects of caregivers getting together with other caregivers. A care group is a safe place that provides fellowship with others experiencing similar challenges.

In our groups, the time spent together is more relational than educational. We do provide excellent educational pamphlets, DVDs and all sorts of updated information to take home. And caregivers always share practical tips that work for them.

However, what makes caregivers want to gather together on a regular basis are the friendships that form and the support they receive from others who understand. It's an enjoyable break caregivers can count on every week!

Lyn is the author of Coping With Caring: When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's or a Related Condition. Together they authored Sharing The Care: When Someone You Love Resides in An Adult Care Facility. They are accredited facilitators for both the Alzheimer's Association and the Lewy Body Dementia Association. They can be reached at 402-0464.

©2007 Journey Publications

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