Holly Caregivers Support Group Creates Space for Support, Discussions on Dementia and More
(Lilly Crossley, Feb. 5, 2024)
Holly, MI – The Holly Area Caregivers Support Group is a place for caregivers to meet and talk about their experiences. Sandy Miller, the organizer of the group, offers a place for caregivers to go to for support when they are struggling with the frustration and exhaustion of helping others.
Caregivers go through many challenges as they help others dealing with issues of aging or disabilities, such as no financial support and aggressive patients. Caregivers can be family members, friends, or even professionals who face the challenging job of taking care of people they don’t know well. Even when caring for someone they love, like a parent or family member, the patient can see them as a stranger, so they have to form a trusting relationship with them. Miller says sometimes doctors are not much of a help in these situations either. They may talk about the physical changes the older adult or patient is facing, but not understand what it’s like for the caregiver. “It’s like dealing with a full-sized two-year-old, and doctors don’t understand what that’s really like,” Sandy describes. In cases such as Alzheimer’s, family members and friends can disappear over time, leaving caregivers to feel like they are doing this alone.
Sandy’s group, which started a few years ago, is strictly a support for emotions. Sometimes people reach out for information on the medical issues patients face, but Sandy has emphasized greatly that this is not what the group is about. It’s about the care that caregivers need themselves. Those with health questions should reach out to their doctor or other appropriate healthcare professionals.
“Some caregivers are under extreme pressure and stress, and it’s hard for them to get out of the house. This group gives them a chance to get together and talk about their lives,” Sandy explains. The support group offers a place for caregivers to express their emotions, and it’s comforting to know that the people they are meeting with are dealing with similar situations and can understand them way more than anyone else can.
The group has just a handful of people at this time who attend meetings, and there is no official meeting place. The group usually meets once a month, typically at restaurants. The dates vary depending on Sandy’s schedule, but those interested in attending a meeting can check the group’s Facebook page to see when the next one is. There are no dues involved with being a part of the group, and caregivers can just show up to the meetings if they want to.
People aren’t forced to talk at the meetings either. They can just listen to others, and the smaller groups make it easier for them to make friends and connect in their limited time together. “I think other places should do this too,” Sandy says, “because they’re aren’t a lot of emotional support groups, and I find these to be really beneficial.”
Sandy is the sole admin of this group, and her inspiration to start it comes from her own personal experience.
When Miller first began seeing signs of Alzheimer’s in her husband, it wasn’t until two years later when he was officially diagnosed. “It’s hard to get a diagnosis right away,” Sandy explains, “and I believe he probably had it ten years before we even knew.” Knowing first-hand how much caregivers go through, such as aggressive patients and no financial support, Sandy created this group to give them a chance to express their hardships.
The Holly Area Caregivers Support Group offers a wonderful opportunity for caregivers to get the emotional support they might not find anywhere else but desperately need. Hopefully more of these groups will begin to form once people realize how truly beneficial they are, allowing caregivers to feel less alone in their tough experiences. Learn more by joining Holly Area Caregivers Support Group on Facebook.
