Caregiver Support Groups Near Me in St. Louis

More and more people are becoming caregivers for sick and aging relatives every year in the United States. While caregiving is a great way to support loved ones, sometimes the supporters themselves need support. That is where caregiver support groups can come in handy.

In these groups, people will both listen to others and be heard themselves. The goal is to help people release stress in a healthy manner, realize they are not alone, form connections with others, and receive tips and tricks to help with caregiving duties and caregiver burnout.

Types of Caregiver Burnout Support Groups

Assuming unpaid caregiving duties can increase the risk of mental health issues and even premature death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Given the clear risks of caregiver burnout, it’s important for people to have easy access to caregiver resources to lessen the stress of caring for the older adults in their lives. Some people opt for respite care, or having the loved one that needs assistance go into a care facility for a short period of time, so that family caregivers can take a break from their caregiving duties. Others may opt for attending support groups.

There are support groups for anything and everything; whatever someone wants help working through, it’s possible to find a supportive group ready to listen. Popular aging-related support groups include:

• Dementia caregiver support groups, which provide support to family members and caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
• Support groups for caregivers of aging parents, which are for adult children caring for their disabled and/or aging parents.
• Cancer caregiver support groups, which are for caregivers of loved ones with some form of cancer.

Dementia Caregiver Support Groups in St. Louis

Dementia is a brutal disease that impacts everyone involved, not just the person with severe memory loss. For family caregivers, there not only comes the stress of having to assume unpaid caregiving responsibilities, but also having to deal with the emotional impact of watching a loved one experience severe memory impairment.

It can be difficult to talk about these experiences with just anyone, because only people who have lived through these experiences can truly understand. That is why a support group specifically for relatives of people with dementia can help people cope with their current situation.

Dementia support groups available to people in the St. Louis area include the following:

• The Greater Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association sponsors several in-person, phone/webinar, and online support groups, which people can find by looking at their list of groups, calling their 24/7 Helpline(800-272-3900), or using their Community Resources Finder tool.
• The St. Louis Jewish Community Center offers regular caregiver and Alzheimer’s education programs and events, along with on-site support for participants’ loved ones while they attend these events. Interested individuals can check out their webpage to learn more about time, location, and arranging care for their loved ones.
• The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offers free telephone-based support groups on a weekly basis. People can learn more about how to join these groups by visiting their website.

Aging Parent Support Group in St. Louis

Watching a parent age can be an unsettling experience. Children, even adult children, look up to their parents and regard them as authority figures. Yet, when elderly parents move in with adult children or need assistance in their daily lives, everything may feel upside down: they are the ones who need help, and the children are the ones in more authoritative positions.

This change in dynamics can be confusing and frustrating for everyone involved at times, even in the most supportive and communicative families. That is where a support group can come in handy. Fortunately, there are several groups available for caregivers of aging parents in the St. Louis area.

These groups include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The US Administration on Aging‘s Eldercare Locator tool can help caregivers connect with local resources, such as community-based programs or their local Area Agency on Aging.
• The Family Caregiver Alliance sponsors and supports several online support groups for many people, including young adult family caregivers. To learn more about these groups and how to join, interested individuals can visit the official Family Caregiver Alliance website here.
• Working Daughter is a mostly online community “for women balancing eldercare, career, kids and life.” People can join online to receive access to Working Daughter’s support services. People can also interact with their online Facebook group.

Cancer Caregiver Support Groups in St. Louis

Cancer is mentally and physically taxing for both the patient and their loved ones. For loved ones who assume caregiving duties, it’s vital to find ways to practice self-care in order to avoid caregiver burnout.

There are several cancer support groups that people in the St. Louis area may be eligible for, including the following:

• The Cancer Support Community of Greater St. Louis offers weekly and monthly groups for people affected by cancer. People can visit their site here to learn more about their support free program.
• CancerCare offers 15-week online support groups for anyone in the US and US territories. People can visit their website hereto learn more about what groups are available and how to register for them

Disclaimer– This article does not constitute professional, legal, medical, financial, or health care advice. While we strive to maintain accuracy, given the subject matter, we cannot guarantee 100% up-to-date, accurate information on this page.