COLLINSVILLE – “Are you caring for a person living with dementia? Feeling alone? Overwhelmed? Give our support group a try.”
St. John’s in Collinsville offers support groups on the 2nd Tuesday and Wednesday of the month. There is no charge and no commitment to attend regularly – although they stress that regular attendance is more beneficial.
“Not comfortable sharing personal information? No problem. You are welcome to share as much or as little as you choose.”
Being a care partner for someone living with dementia can be a challenging endeavor and requires a great deal of time and energy. Whether or not you are also balancing employment and family commitments, there is often not much time left for socializing or connecting with others—leading to isolation and loneliness. Support groups can be an excellent way to form emotional connections, share experiences, gain knowledge, and find additional resources.
“These groups provide a safe space to vent frustrations and share joys. You may also find that support group members are able to relate to each other in ways that friends or relatives may not be able to understand because they have not experienced living with dementia.”
St. John’s support groups are designed for a group of individuals to meet and share experiences and emotional support. They are facilitated by Certified Dementia Specialists who have years of experience supporting families living with dementia and other impairments. They can help you understand more about a particular condition and the why behind certain situations you are facing.
Besides emotional connections, care partner support groups offer the opportunity for individuals to share experiences, tips, and advice, as well as being an excellent source for finding additional resources.
St. Johns even offers an option of participating from the comfort of your own home via Zoom. For more information, contact their office at [email protected] or 618-344-5008. Meetings are at 1:30 pm the 2nd Tuesday of each month and 6:00 pm on the 2nd Wednesday. The facilitator will send a Zoom invite to the email address you provide.
“You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.”
