Friday, March 1, 2019

Online Support Groups - Various Needs

Caregivers who participate in support groups report they feel less stressed and less alone in their experiences providing care for a loved one. Yet not all caregivers can attend in person support groups. Some caregivers (for a range of reasons) are unable to attend local support groups. Fortunately there are other options, these include online support groups.
This format is provided over the internet and offers privacy and the benefits of not leaving home.

Many organizations offer such groups. This post introduces our readers to a few non profit organizations and their online caregiver supports.

Family Caregiver Alliance
FCA has partnered with Smart Patients to create this new Caregivers Community so that caregivers and other loved ones can join the community for free to share, interact, and learn from each other in a safe, supportive environment.

Family Caregiver Alliance also offers the following online support groups for caregivers:
  • The Caregiver-online support group is an unmoderated group for families, partners, and other caregivers of adults with disorders such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, brain injury, and other chronic debilitating health conditions.
  • The LGBT Community Support: Caregiving for our Families and Friends support group offers a place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender caregivers of adults with chronic health problems to discuss the unique issues of caring for their loved ones.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America
https://adaa.org/adaa-online-support-group
ADAA’s anonymous peer-to-peer online anxiety and depression support group (now with more than 20,000 subscribers from around the world) is a friendly, safe and supportive place for individuals and their families to share information and experiences.

CancerCare
https://www.cancercare.org/support_groups
Online support groups take place using a password-protected message board format (not live chat) and are led by professional oncology social workers who offer support and guidance. Groups are held for 15 weeks at a time, and group members must register to join. After completing the registration process (which can take up to 2-3 business days), members can participate by posting in the groups 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Parkinson's Foundation
https://parkinson.org/Living-with-Parkinsons/For-Caregivers/Self-Care-Tips-for-Caregivers/Best-Caregiver-Resources
The Parkinson’s Foundation helps makeb life better for all people affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD) – not just those with the diagnosis – is by providing free materials and programs to everyone in the Parkinson’s community.