How to Find Support Groups for Children Taking Care of Elderly Parents

Reaching out

Often a caregiver feels isolated and like they're carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. They feel tied down by their responsibilities and because of this, may miss out on available services.
Help is out there, but it's not always easy to find. Here are some ways to track down help.

Instructions

1. First ask your parent's doctor if there is a support group nearby. Often they are aware of these or they are sponsored by the hospital.

2. 

   Call the local social services (check the yellow pages) to see if they know of any support groups. Usually communities have a branch of social services called something like "Area Agency for Aging." Their services vary from community to community, but contact them to see what is available.

3. 

   Call 211 if it is available in the area. It connects people to community services. The implementation of 2-1-1 is being spear headed by United Ways and comprehensive and specialized information and referral agencies in states and local communities, but is not in all areas yet. Check the link below for it.

4. 

   Search the internet with keyword combinations like "parental caregiver" and "caretaker of older adults" + "support group." Browse the sites and follow links to possible discussion groups and support groups. You will find sites like ElderCareLink (link below). This free referral service helps you find everything from Home Care and Assisted Living to Financial Planning and Personal Emergency Responses.

5. 

   Check at the public library to see if they have a referral service. Often they keep information on local agencies or can give you leads. They might also have directories for national organizations relating to caring for the elderly. Follow up on those leads.

6. 

   If there is no group in your area, talk to the doctor or hospital about getting one started. They could provide a meeting space and distribute information about the group's start-up to other patients and caregivers with the same problem. Most public libraries also have free meeting space for community groups.

7. 

   There are online support groups if you can't find any in your community. Click on the link below to see the discussions and meet others in the same situation as you.

Tips & Warnings

• Much of the searching can be done by phone or from home using the internet.

• Don't give up after the first few dead ends. Keep trying until you find what you need.

Resources

• Find 211 Service for your Area
• Leader's Manual for Starting a Support Group (for diabetes, but useful for other groups)
• EldercareLink
• Online Support Group for Eldercare