Copper Hill Church of East Granby will sponsor a new support group for caregivers beginning Wednesday, June 18 at 2 PM at Higley Village Clubhouse in East Granby. It will meet every other week for about five months. Each meeting will last about 75 minutes. Most weeks it will include an intro activity, a topic for discussion, a short devotional thought from a Christian perspective, a brief prayer time and a refreshments time. Any active caregivers are welcome to attend.
The idea for such a group got started when Rev. Dr. Kelvin Jones, pastor at Copper Hill Church, a small United Methodist congregation in East Granby, noticed that there were a number of people who were caregivers in just his small congregation. Probably this reflected a need in the community, he reasoned. Since he had done his doctoral work in the area of support groups, he began to research and plan for a support group specifically for caregivers. He would serve as the every-session organizer and facilitator and would arrange for other professionals to visit the group periodically to facilitate discussions of various topics. Topics of discussion would include; caregiver isolation, grieving along the journey, feeling guilty, using outside helping resources, caring for the caregiver, holding onto faith, visiting the doctor, and keeping my identity. The group may determine additional topics as well.
Everyone recognizes that taking care of someone you love over a long term is a difficult assignment. Whether one is assisting a younger disabled person, an ill spouse, an aging parent, or a friend or neighbor, the constant responsibility and 24/7 nature of the task tests the metal of the best of us. But how can it be made easier? One way is through mutual support between caregivers in a caring small group led by a professional facilitator. For more information call Dr. Jones at 860-653-2891.