Caregiver Support Groups: What To Do When It Isn’t The Right Fit
Caregiver support groups offer many benefits, but not every group is right for everyone. What do you do if you join a group but don’t get the benefits? Caregivers often struggle with mental health issues because of the challenges of the role. A support group should help you feel better and cope with those challenges.
Here, we’ll talk about:
- Why you should consider joining a caregiver support group.
- Signs a support group isn’t the right fit for you.
- What to do when you realize the group isn’t serving your needs.
Although caregiver support groups won’t fix all your problems, they should help you feel better, not worse or more stressed.
The Benefits Of Joining A Good Support Group
There are several important benefits of belonging to a caregiver support group:
- Education & Resources. Support groups are educational resources. They teach you about your loved one’s condition. They also teach caregiving skills and self-care strategies and provide respite care support services resources.
- Emotional Support. A family caregiver support program or group provides emotional support. It should be an outlet for sharing your feelings, frustrations, and experiences.
- Social Support. Caregiver support provides a vital social network. Caregivers often feel lonely or isolated. These groups can help you feel less alone.
- Confidence & Empowerment. Caregiving is a skill. If you’re new to it, you might not have a lot of confidence. A support group can help you learn, build your skills, and grow in confidence. It can help you feel empowered in your new role.
- Quality Of Life. Caregiver stress is common. It can impact your quality of life and even lead to burnout. Studies show that attending support group meetings improves the quality of life for caregivers.
You can get all these benefits from a support group, but they’re not guaranteed. It’s essential to participate in a high-quality caregiver support group. Even good groups aren’t helpful for everyone. You need a group that matches your specific needs. Be patient and take your time to find the best group for you. This is how you will get the most benefits.
Interested in Trualta’s support groups? Check if you have free access.
Signs A Support Group Isn’t The Right Fit
How do you know a support group isn’t the right fit? There are many potential signs a caregiver support group isn’t meeting your needs. One of the most important is simple: it doesn’t make you feel any better as a caregiver and may even make you feel worse.
It takes some time and patience to get all the benefits of a caregiver support group. Don’t give up too soon, but be aware of some signs that you might benefit more from a different group.
The Group Doesn’t Match Your Goals
You won’t get all the benefits of a support group if it doesn’t meet your needs. For example, you wanted to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease but joined a general support group. A dementia caregiver support group would better meet your needs.
The Group Feels Unorganized & Poorly Led
A support group doesn’t have to be led by a trained facilitator, but facilitated groups are often better at meeting caregivers’ needs. A peer-led group can be great for emotional support. It might not provide all the necessary skills, educational resources, and structure. A group might not be a good fit if it feels unorganized and without a clear direction.
You Don’t Feel Safe & Supported
One of the most important factors in a beneficial caregiver support group is feeling safe and supported. It’s normal not to feel completely safe sharing when first joining a group. With regular visits, you should feel the environment is supportive enough to share difficult thoughts and emotions. If not, it might not be the right group for you.
The Members Or Leader Keep Changing
Caregiver support groups should provide safe, compassionate spaces for participants. This happens when everyone has a chance to get to know each other. Regular meetings with the same or a similar group of people allow each person to feel more comfortable sharing.
Frequently changing membership can also be a sign that others aren’t finding the group very helpful. It’s also difficult for a group to develop into a safe space if the facilitator changes frequently.
You Feel More Stressed Than Before Joining The Group
Ultimately, caregivers’ support groups should relieve some of your stress, not add to it. You might feel more stressed if the group doesn’t meet your needs, feels unorganized, or meets at inconvenient times or places.
What To Do If A Support Group Isn’t Right For You
You shouldn’t continue with a group if it doesn’t feel right for you for any reason. A group might be poorly led or feel unsupportive. Or, the only issue might be that it doesn’t meet at times that fit your schedule. Whatever the reason is, you should find a new group. Here’s what to do.
Decide What You Want From A Support Group
First, think about your goals for joining a caregiver support group. Some of the goals you might have include:
- Learning more about your loved one’s condition.
- Sharing experiences and feelings with other caregivers.
- Learning from more experienced caregivers.
- Accessing resources for caregiver services, including respite, caregiving skills, or senior services.
Some support groups offer all of these resources and more. Others are more specific. Know what you need from a group and find one that matches your needs.
Search For A Different Group
Your search for an appropriate group will be more focused once you understand your goals. Here are some good sources for finding a specific type of caregiver support group:
- Your family member’s medical team or healthcare facility
- Local community groups, charitable organizations, and religious groups
- State or local government agencies or social services agencies
- National organizations, like the Alzheimer’s Association, Lewy Body Dementia Association, or Family Caregiver Alliance
National agencies specific to your loved one’s condition or needs can help you find a local or virtual caregiver support group.
Try More Than One Group, And Give It Time
Consider attending more than one group if you’ve struggled to find one that fits. Comparing support groups for caregivers can help you better understand what they have to offer. This can make choosing a group easier.
Finally, it’s important to give a group time. It’s usually worth being patient and attending a few times before making a choice. However, it might not be worth your time if there is something obvious you don’t like about a caregiver support program.
For example, a local group might include many people you know. This might make you feel uncomfortable sharing details about your loved one. You might also know right away that a group isn’t for you if the meeting times are difficult to fit into your schedule.
If there is nothing obviously wrong with a group, give it a chance. The more you get to know the facilitator and other caregivers, the more comfortable you’ll be sharing and benefiting from the experience.
The right support group can make a big difference for caregivers. Don’t settle for a group that doesn’t benefit you. Make a change and find a group you really enjoy and that makes you feel supported.
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