Support Groups for Informal Caregivers of people with dementia: towards a communitarian helping ethos

This study reports a set of distinct Support Groups for Informal Caregivers that were implemented after the caregivers ’ participation in a psychoeducational program. Based upon a community intervention project implemented in North Portugal (Caring for the Caregiver Project), the study describes five support groups established in five different municipalities and assumed by local agents from the health and/or social sectors. It focuses on each group ’ s main objectives and functioning characteristics as a continuity response that was organized at a broad community level. Main findings stress the importance of these support groups on maintaining the caregivers ’ informal social network and mutual support system within a context of reduced services explicitly targeted for this population, and to the need of having a professional who assumes the role of organizing the sessions. Authors conclude on the relevance of support groups as a continuous and lively community intervention targeted at helping family carers of people with dementia.
Source: Physis: Revista de Saude Coletiva - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research