Benefits

Especially for Carers, there are numerous benefits to getting involved with a Support Group, probably far too many to mention here.

Some of the most valuable benefits involve the personalised help that a Support Group can give to its members. Often members of the group will be experiencing similar difficulties or successes at different times during the course of their involvement with the group. Information gained by one member can be passed on to the other members saving them the time and trouble of trying to hunt down the relevant information for themselves. Certain types of information can be very hard to find and if someone has already been fortunate enough to get all the right answers for themselves, a Support Group is a great way of sharing that information with others.

Similarly, members of a Support Group can work together as a team to collate information that can be used by everyone. This is particularly useful when the task of finding out the answers may just be too big a job for one person to do. Often, the different approaches and viewpoints of the individual members can unearth information that may not have been discovered if the task was carried out by one person. In this way, the scope of the information can be expanded to give a greater understanding of what needs to be done in a certain circumstances.

Probably the biggest advantage of getting involved with a Support Group is the personal support that others can give when one of the members is experiencing a particularly bad time, or difficult situation. Sometimes it might be something as simple as having someone to talk to who actually understands what you are going through. Sometimes it could be a solution to a problem that only someone who had experienced it previously would know. Sometimes it could be having someone to share good news and positive experiences with. The list is endless and it's not just to deal with difficult or unpleasant situations.

Support Groups that are run by Charities or other formal organisations, often have access to facilities that are outside the capabilities of local or community led Support Groups. One example of this is the provision of respite. Often, they can provide Support Workers to take over your caring duties for a few hours while you run an errand, visit friends and family, or just have a few hours to yourself to recover from your hectic day to day schedule. There are also dedicated Dementia respite centres that can look after the person you are caring for while you remain at home to get some well earned respite of your own. These centres can offer weekend and short breaks, and are usually located in peaceful, tranquil surroundings. To watch a short video on a respite centre in Scotland, made by someone with Dementia, Click Here.

Whatever your own personal situation getting involved in a Support Group would probably be of benefit to you. Many members of Support Groups think of them as their extended family, forming lasting friendships with the other members.