Alzheimer's Disease: Open Group Case Study

The group name is Loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. This group is for caregivers who is care for a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Caregiving for any older adult can be difficult. But if they have a disability such as Alzheimer’s disease, the difficulty level can be higher. The formation of this group’s purpose is to share the stressors of the everyday life and to receive tips, advice, and ways to manage the stress of everyday living and during the difficult times when their parent is having a difficult time.
This group is a closed group because this group is about sharing the everyday stress over caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. People who are not open to sharing their personal information right away may need time to open up and they cannot do that if people continuously come and go. This group is also made up of volunteer participants that way people are willing to seek for advice, tips, and other ways to manage stress. The pros of an open group: anyone who missed the sign-up sheet or the flyer that stated when the first group started can join at any time, their additional attendance can offer more advice and tips for other members of the group, and
they can learn on how to manage their stress.
The cons of an open group: people come and go as they please, this is a support group and people are sharing about their daily lives; some people may have a hard time discussing
their private lives if people are always new to the group. The pros of a closed group: the group members can get develop a level of comfort and share their stories of their daily lives, also with that level of comfort members can grow to trust each other over the duration of the group and accept advice and tips. The cons of a closed group: some people who need the support of the group may not be able to get in, and the members’ loved ones may all have different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and relating to each other may be difficult.
The Loved one’s with Alzheimer’s disease group will meet once a week, on Wednesday in the early evening. The length of the group is will be at least a month and each group will last about sixty minutes. Week one’s topic would be an introduction and what the group will be made of, what the members hope to learn from the group, and give the members a small amount of material of what is to come. Week two’s topic will consist of the daily life and the stress. Week three’s topic would be what types of advice one group member would give to the other caregivers from the group members’ experience with the disease and caregiving. Week four would be a wrap- up and review over the last four weeks.
Members will be screened by how long they have giving care the loved ones. They must have at least six months experience of caregiving to someone that has Alzheimer’s disease. They also must be living with the person who has Alzheimer’s disease.
In this group we will discuss some material that may put people at risk. The following risks could be:
Depression or anxiety
Anxiety over the loved one’s condition or progressing condition
Sharing personal information- such as daily life
Increase of stress level
You could also feel that the group is helping you by:
Decreasing daily stress level
Feeling more positive with the advice and tips from members of the group

To publicize my group, I would create a flyer with a small description about the group, when the group starts and ends, and where to sign up with a phone number included. I would place these flyers, with the permission of the person who is in charge of the business, in places of businesses such as banks, libraries, and churches. I could also contact some home health agencies and home based hospice agencies and give them some flyers. The employees can pass the word on to their patients and patients’ families. To conduct my group I was planning on using handouts of how to manage stress tips and some papers on anxiety and what to do when overwhelmed with your loved one. I can use some AV equipment like an overhead projector if it is a large room, a DVD or a video online, television or a computer tower and computer monitor to show them some scenarios of being overwhelmed and things related to that.

Do you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease?
This is a support group for caregivers who take care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease.
When: This group takes place every Wednesday during the month of July
(July 6- July 27)
Time: This group takes place every Wednesday evening during the seven o’clock hour
(7:00 p.m.)
Where: Town Hall
You must sign up at the Human Services Agency.