title: Reflections on 12 years of facilitating Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Groups.
abstract: This article discusses the background, characteristics, caregiver benefits, and facilitator rewards of Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Groups conducted over a 12-year period. The objective being to motivate more professionals to start similar groups to increase supports for family members in the face of this devastating progressive disease and/or to encourage clients to consult their local Alzheimer's Association to find caregiver groups already formed in or around their community. Providing or locating this service is strongly advocated by both the caregivers interviewed and the facilitator.
authors.affiliation: Weston Council on Aging, Weston, Massachusetts, USA. shirleyearle00@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Shirley S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Earle
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States