Support Groups

Care Partner Support Groups

This monthly, in-person support group provides an opportunity for spouses and family members caring for a person living with dementia to meet with common experiences. Through sharing these experiences and concerns they will receive support from the group facilitator and other participants about dementia. The goal of this group is to share personal feelings, increase healthy coping strategies, decrease isolation, and improve awareness about available services at the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton and in the community.

Psychoeducation Groups

CARERS

Coaching, Advocacy, Respite, Education, Relationship, Simulation

This 8-week session is a skills based group for care partners to people living with dementia.

The group focuses on: 

• Practical skills and emotional supports needed to care for people living with dementia.
• Teaches problem solving techniques through a  structured approach to address problems. 
• Coaches care partners in communication skills through the use of simulation
• Provides strategies for keeping a meaningful relationship with the person living with dementia. 

TEACH

Training, Education, and Assistance for Caregiving at Home

This 4-week session is an interactive psychoeducation group for care partners of people living with dementia.
The group focuses on:

• Common caregiving themes including self-care, Healthcare System Navigation, Relationship Changes, Future Planning
• Coaches care partners in practical communication and coping skills
• Provides an opportunity to support, share, and learn from others. 

Coping with Change

This 6 week session is intended to provide care partners with tools that will help them cop with ambiguous grief and loss associated with this journey. We address strategies to help care partners reframe their thinking and perspectives, and provide tools to help reduce stress.

Topics covered include:

• What is Ambiguous Loss
• Shifting Focus
• From Either/Or to Both/And Thinking
• Change and Support
• Negative Emotions
• Reducing Stress

First Link Learning Series

This 5 part learning series aims to foster an understanding of dementia, teach practical coping strategies, and to provide information about services in the community. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and share experiences with others facing similar challenges. 

The series contains: 

• First Steps for Care Partners & people living with dementia
• Care Essentials
• Options for Care
• Care in Later Stages