About Alzheimer's Support Groups in Miami

The National Institute of Aging suggests that 4.5 million patients suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States. Half of patients aged 85 have the disease, and the need for support groups helping not only new patients, but also their caregivers is essential. The fact that the American population is living longer and that many of them are retiring in Florida, is not lost on support organizations. The result is a well defined network of Alzheimer's support groups in Miami.

Support Group Features

• Support groups serve patients, caregivers, and sometimes also both parties. They are a way of connecting with other sufferers and also other caregivers. Patients with the disease take comfort from knowing that they are not alone, and that their symptoms are not uncommon. Caregivers learn to cope with the strain of caring for a person who is increasingly unable to do so for herself, while at the same time also learning how to overcome the sadness that goes hand in hand with seeing someone's personality slip away. In some cases, the support groups help family members who may only be tangentially connected to the care of the loved, but want to learn how to play more of a role.

Locations

• Support group meetings for Alzheimer's groups take place in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospital settings and community centers. In some cases, they are private and held in a person's residence.

Alzheimer's Association Southeast Florida Chapter

• The Southeast Florida chapter of the Alzheimer's Association (a link is provided in the Resources section) is a good starting point for finding a wide array of support groups in Miami. The organization features online support and also support groups in Spanish as well as Portuguese, to reflect the area's unique cultural makeup. Some of the support groups listed on the association's site primarily work with patients suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, while others cater to caregivers or family members of patients.

Misconceptions

• It is a common misconception that caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients only need a support group that allows for help with coping, as sometimes they need hands-on help. The Family Caregiver Alliance (a link is placed in the Resources section) offers basic Alzheimer's support groups, but also education and training programs for new at-home family caregivers, courses in home adaptation, and workshops teaching caregivers how to receive referrals to agencies offering meals on wheels delivery, adult day services and transportation.

Considerations

• Choosing an Alzheimer's support group in Miami may also offer the opportunity of joining a community center. For example, the Marjorie & William McDonald Center (a link is placed in the Resources section) offers more than Alzheimer's support groups, and instead holds a variety of group meetings and events that foster a sense of community for attendees. Thus, a support group attendee may also join an arts group, chess club, or AARP defensive driving class, lessening the feeling of isolation that so often goes along with suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's disease or being a caregiver of a patient with the disease.