Anyone go to their local AS meetings?

[Mummy's Girl]

My 2 sisters and I are off to our local Alzheimers society meeting next thursday.. they meet on the last thursday of every month. What can we expect? Is it relaxed and time to chat and meet other carers, or is it a formal meeting? We are quite nervous about going... no idea why

Thanks

Karen

 

[twink]

AS Meetings

Hi Karen,

I go to a carers meeting twice a month. One is for carers of anyone with an illness and the other is for carers who have someone with Alzheimer's. It's great! I'm 54 and all the other ladies (and 2 men) are in their 70's and we have a good laugh, a little raffle and we go off to the pub after the meeting for lunch together. The two women who run it, the carers support workers, rush about getting us tea or coffee and biscuits and we can chat to them and ask anything we're not sure about and every few months we get someone from the C.A.B. come in so we can see them if we have any questions. We do chat about our husbands/wives who we are caring for but we also have a laugh as I said. It's very informal and I enjoy going. Give it a try.

Sue

 

[Grannie G]

I`d love to go to ours but can`t leave my husband. Please let me know how you get on.
I certainly wouldn`t be nervous, I know you`ll be amongst friends. Love Sylvia x

 

[Margarita]

I can never work out when is the last Monday Tuesday ext of the mouth, or the first Monday Tuesday of the mouth ext at are local AZ By the time it comes around then that could be because I am not organised. Now if they say every 5th of the mouth or a date I could I think remember that. Also because of cut backs/ lack of staff we don’t have any meeting anymore for cares. We do have garden party that I can take mum along in the summer , they have pub fun raising quizzes last year that are normally on a Friday , when all my teenagers go out so I can not get anyone to sit for my mother

 

[Skye]

Our local group has monthly meetings for couples i.e. carer and patient, so there's no need to get carers in. Usually there is a speaker for the first half, on some AD related topic, then we have a cup of tea & chat. It's all very friendly, nothing to feel nervous about.

I've had to stop going though, because John can't understand what is being said, and gets bored

 

[twink]

I could leave Steve for that couple of hours and he'd be ok but then he did get so I daren't leave him and stopped going but soon after that he went into hospital so I started going again. We meet in a Church Hall and the 'patients' are in another room with Crossroads people. A few of the ladies at our local group have lost their husbands but they still go as they have such a good time. they are all a good 20 years older than me but they know how to have a laugh and they nearly all knit a lot and bring scarves and gloves to sell and whatever they make goes to the Alz. Soc. I've got a list of dates on a notice on my kitchen wall taking us right up to next Christmas so I don't forget when the meetings are. The AS provided them.

Sue

 

[mocha]

Hello Karen,
I am sure you will have a great time at the meeting and next time you go will be easier as you will have got to know people then.
When Ron was at home I had someone from Crossroads to sit with him for 3 hrs every 2 weeks which was a bit expensive[£8-45 an hour] but I thought it was worth it. It is held at our local hospital once a month and they provide taxi's each way. About 3-4 times a year we go out for a meal which is great.
I also now go to a weekly Carer's drop- in which is for caring in general. Even tho' my husband is now in a Nursing Home I wouldn't miss it for the world as I have made so many friends.
Let us know how you go on.

Aileen

 

[alfjess]

Hi
All everyone has described in previous posts on this thread sounds great Unfortunately, I don't know of any Alzheimers group in my area, with or without my parents.
I'm sure there are more than me in this area, struggling with this illness (carer) so I wonder why?? Maybe I haven't done enough research, or haven't been told about them
Any info would be helpful
Alfjess

 

[alfjess]

Hi Mummie's girl
Sorry forgot to add, that I'm sure there is nothing to be nervous about.
You will probably learn something and meet other people who are experiencing the same, or nearly the same situation.
Alfjess

 

[noelphobic]

Hi
All everyone has described in previous posts on this thread sounds great Unfortunately, I don't know of any Alzheimers group in my area, with or without my parents.
I'm sure there are more than me in this area, struggling with this illness (carer) so I wonder why?? Maybe I haven't done enough research, or haven't been told about them
Any info would be helpful
Alfjess

This link will take you to the Alzheimers Scotland page and should be able to tell you if there is a group in your area

http://www.alzscot.org/pages/regions/index.htm

 

[alfjess]

Hi Noelphobic
Thanks for the link. I will check it out tomorrow. Right now it is bed-time.
Have had a hard day.
Mum has another UTI and is being more than normally difficult.
Alfjess

 

[noelphobic]

Hi Noelphobic
Thanks for the link. I will check it out tomorrow. Right now it is bed-time.
Have had a hard day.
Mum has another UTI and is being more than normally difficult.
Alfjess

I hope tomorrow is better for you and your mum.

Brenda

 

[Dee Copestake]

Mummy's Girl

Hi,
You must go to your group meeting, they really take away that feeling that you are the only one that feels as you do.

When I can I go to a group in my area called Pathfinders. It is a group basically for younger people with dementia. It is part social and part informative. We all take our partner/relative etc with dementia.

What we do is have a cup of coffee etc. and small talk until everyone has arrived, then we split into two groups- carers and dementia sufferers. we, the carers then talk about anything at all, it may be how you are feeling at the time, or could be about the various benefits available, and the various other facilty's etc. could be financial issues such are Direct Payments or more practical issues such as the best type of incontinence pads to get.

After our split discussions we then re-join our partners and then have a little quiz or a game etc. On occasions there may be a speaker from the various related Services. On other occasions we may have for instance - relflexology/ head massages/ etc.

I cant go as often as I like as my husband suffers from Frontal Temporal Dementia( Picks Disease) and he is at the stage where he is really unsettled and finds it difficult to just sit etc.

But do go- I always come away with the feeling that I am not mentally alone.

Anything else you want to talk about - please feel free at any timre.

regards
dee x

 

[Skye]

Hi
All everyone has described in previous posts on this thread sounds great Unfortunately, I don't know of any Alzheimers group in my area, with or without my parents.
I'm sure there are more than me in this area, struggling with this illness (carer) so I wonder why?? Maybe I haven't done enough research, or haven't been told about them
Any info would be helpful
Alfjess

Hi Alfjess

Hope your Mum is a bit better today.

Brenda's link to Alzscot is the best for finding Alzheimer's support groups, but you could also see if there is a local branch of Princess Royal Trust. Thay run support groups for all carers, not just AD, and they're very helpful.

http://www.carers.org/

Love,

 

[connie]

Hi Dee, noticed it was your first post. Warm welcome to TP. Thanks for contributing to this thread. We are a friendly bunch here.

Over time you will get to know us, and maybe we will learn a little about you.

 

[Mummy's Girl]

Thanks everyone!

I didn't realise that we could take mum! I think this first time, we'll go alone and check it out but if suitable, we'll take her along next time. Quite looking forward to it now, especially if it involves a trip to the pub afterwards

Karen