Pilot project help dementia caregivers from the comfort of home
By Contributor
If you can`t go to them, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. will bring a mountain of information to you.
The society next month launches a free tele-support and learning group for local caregivers of a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia who is living at home.
The eight-session pilot project is designed specifically for area residents who are unable to attend support or education sessions in person due to geography, disability or other reasons, says facilitator Jan Robson.
Meetings will be conducted over the phone, on Friday afternoons, beginning on March 15 and running through May 10.
The weekly meetings remove a barier for caregivers who want the benefits of a support group but can`t physically attend one.
“Participants will gain increased knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and better communication skills for interacting with the person with dementia,” Robson says.
Other benefits include improved problem-solving and self-care skills, better knowledge of — and access to – resources, and an expanded support network.
Each call will include up to eight family caregivers. Participants only need a standard telephone.
They call a toll-free number at the scheduled time and will be able to hear and speak with one another at all times during the meetings, which run from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Program hand-outs will be mailed to participants before March 15.
For more information and to apply, call Jan Robson at 604-742-4935 (toll-free 1-800-667-3742).
For more information on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, visit alzheimerbc.org.
