Attending a Support Group

Support Groups can be a touchy topic for many people, but they have been a lifeline for many more. When my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, my mom dragged my dad to a support group specific to his illness. She needed to know all she could about what they were facing, she wanted to be as prepared and proactive as possible. At first my dad resisted strongly because he didn’t want to know what might happen to him, and he didn’t want to be depressed by what he thought would be a devestating look at his new reality.

They were both pleasantly surprised. My mom found support and encouragement from other care givers, and my dad was encouraged to find others facing the same challenges and pushing through them.

So why join a elder care support group?

For support group participants, these meeting prove to be more than just an empathetic experience, a sharing of woe, or “wow our lives are rough” sessions, but also creative problem solving sessions. Participants share what kind of home modifications, diet changes, exercises, and medical care had brought them relief and strength, as well as passing along current research, medical breakthroughs, and technological advances that might improve their quality of life.

Support groups are like a gold mine, giving you the chance to meet with other people who have done the legwork in your local area and found resources close to home such as doctors, caregiver support, social and community events, and educational or informational classes on your particular disease or related care topics. Patients and their family members can pass on names of highly recomended doctors as well as which medical providers to avoid.

In addition to being an excellent informational resource, support groups can provide emotional stability and encouragment, a safe and healthy arena to process through the difficulties of having a terminal illness or the challenges of providing care for someone who has a terminal illness. Knowing that you’re not alone, that there are others who understand what you’re going through can be so encouraging.