About: The Caregiver Support Group is a safe, supportive space for adults to connect, reflect, and learn how to navigate caregiving for aging, chronically ill, or special needs parents while balancing their own well-being.

Format: This virtual support group is a six-week, closed group with up to 5 participants, meeting for one hour per session and facilitated two to three times per year. A closed group means new members will not be permitted once we begin.

• Virtual | 6 weeks | 1 hour per week | 5 participants

Investment: $300; $50 per session. Total amount due at the time of registration. Payment arrangements are available if needed, please reach out to discuss further.

Participants can expect a supportive and safe environment to explore, understand, and share experiences and emotions related to caregiving.

Each week, the group will entail fluid discussion based on the outline below with the opportunity to connect with others facing similar challenges to build a sense of community and resilience.

Outline:

• Week 1: Naming the Reality of Caregiving: Responsibilities, Adjustments, and Demands

• Week 2: Holding the Invisible Load: Grief, Guilt, and Burnout

• Week 3: Navigating Relationship Dynamics: Roles, History, and Changes

• Week 4: Creating Sustainability: Respite, Healthy Boundaries, and Honoring Capacity

• Week 5: Managing the Practical: Logistics, Decisions, and Advocacy

• Week 6: Care for the Caregiver: Resources, Community, and Strength

A caregiver is a person who tends to the needs or concerns of one who is limited in their capacity to care for themselves due to illness, disability, aging, or having special needs.

So if you are tending to the needs and concerns of a parent on a part-time, full-time, or on a as needed basis regarding their daily functioning, personal affairs, or health, then you are likely a caregiver. This can include:

• Helping with personal care or hygiene such as bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, feeding, and transferring (move from bed to chair)

• Assisting with mobility needs or physical support such as pushing a wheelchair, supporting them while walking, or helping them safely navigate public spaces

• Communicating with care teams and helping interpret information, and making phone calls/emails on their behalf to doctors, insurance companies, pharmacies, or government agencies

• Managing medical appointments, medication management, or treatment and surgery schedules

• Assisting with transportation, errands, meals, or household tasks

• Helping manage finances such as paying bills, monitoring bank accounts, or other financial affairs

• Assisting with paperwork, legal documents, or estate planning such as coordinating with attorneys about wills, trusts, or beneficiary designations

• Helping make decisions or participating in decisions about medical care, living arrangements, or long-term care options

• Advocating for, arranging, or installing home modifications to support safety and accessibility, such as grab bars in the shower, raised toilet seats, or mobility aids

• Providing emotional support, regular check-ins, or helping your parent navigate difficult transitions

Many people in this role think of themselves as “just helping out”, but if these responsibilities sound familiar, you may be caregiving.

Not at all. Many people share caregiving responsibilities with siblings, spouses, or other family members. Some people provide daily hands-on care, while others help coordinate appointments, manage finances, provide emotional support, or step in when needed.

If you are involved in supporting a parent’s care in ways that affect your time, energy, or emotional well-being, this group may be a helpful space for you