Family Support
Introduction
The Support group meets the first Tuesday of each month at "The Birches" Day Care Centre, Priorland Road, Dundalk.
The Support Group service has been running for the past six years, and it is a place where the family carer can find mutual support from other people walking the same road as themselves. This can be of great benefit as a sense of isolation often accompanies Alzheimer's Disease.
Secondly the support group can be a source of information on many different topics, where many families share their experiences, how they are coping or have coped with many difficulties that arisen while caring for their loved one.
The importance of a support group cannot be over emphasised in the long journey through the disease. It provides a safe place for the family member to come to where everyone understands what they are going through.
To avail of the Family Support Group service please use the following contact details:
- Contact Olive
- Phone Number: (042) 9351388
Symptoms of Carer Stress
If you experience several of these stress symptoms on a regular basis consult your GP:
- Denial - about the disease and its effect on the person who has been diagnosed.
- Anger - at the person with Alzheimer's Disease or others, and at people, especially family who don't understand what is going on.
- Social withdrawal - from friends and activities that once brought great joy.
- Anxiety - about facing another day and what the future holds.
- Depression - when it begins to break your spirit and affects your ability to cope.
- Exhaustion - makes it nearly impossible to complete basic daily tasks.
- Sleeplessness - caused by a never-ending list of concerns.
- Irritability - leads to moodiness and triggers negative responses.
- Lack of concentration - makes it difficult to perform familiar tasks.
- Health problems - begin to take their toll, both mentally and physically.
