Alzheimer's Educational/Support Group: Considerations for Success -- Awareness of Family Tasks, Pre-Planning, and Active Professional Facilitation

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder that causes memory & cognitive impairment. The progression of the disease causes distress to the afflicted person & caregivers, & severely alters the interactional patterns of family members. An educational/support group is described that was formed to assist families in learning more about the disease, community resources, & effective coping strategies. The group gave participants an opportunity to share emotional reactions & develop a network with others experiencing a common issue. The findings suggest that awareness of family tasks, preplanning, time-limited sessions, & professional facilitation were important elements in releasing the supportive potential of the group members & increasing their adaptive capacities. 10 References. HA