Caregiver Support Groups in Los Angeles
Do you feel lonely as a caregiver to parent, spouse or a sibling? Are you an Angeleno?
According to a stat by the American Association of Retired Person (AARP), more than 47 percent of caregivers feel lonely at least once in their journey as a caregiver to an older adult. You are not alone if you feel the same.
Caregiving is quite a demanding job. You need advice from experts on key areas such as daily care, financial affairs, ethics, legal matters, medical information, caregiver recovery, finding a side job, etc.
Most caregiver support centers have experts who volunteer to help caregivers such as you. Furthermore, support groups are a hub of fellow caregivers who understand your situation. You can share your pain and your problems with them.
In this post, I share the most trusted caregiver support groups in Los Angeles. Most support centers are free of cost. But they do need you to book an appointment a few days or weeks in advance.
Best Caregiver Support Groups in Los Angeles
#1 Los Angeles Department of Aging
Los Angeles Department of Aging is an organization located on Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. This place is suited for caregivers of dementia patients who are currently juggling work and caregiving.
They have several support groups for caregivers in and around the South Figueroa Street area. You can get started by filling up the caregiver resource form. They will contact you to know more about your situation.
In addition to managing caregiver support groups, the Los Angeles Department of Aging also offers family caregiver training and education. They will teach you everything you must know before caregiving for an older adult.
#2 Alzheimer’s Los Angeles
Now you can join a virtual caregiver support group from the comfort of your home. No need to go out. Alzheimer’s Los Angeles is located on Wilshire Boulevard (the Koreatown street).
Alzheimer’s Los Angeles is a non-profit organization. You don’t have to pay a single penny to join any of their caregiver support groups. You don’t even need to have a laptop. You can join the video chat with your smartphone.
This support group is meant for family members (not just the caregiver) of a person with dementia. Feel free to invite the entire family for the video call.
The group facilitators are experts in the field of dementia caregiving. They are mostly volunteers. They are calm, confident, and nurturing individuals who want to help you get through this difficult phase.
#3 USC Family Caregiver Support Center (FCSC)
One of the oldest, most trusted caregiver support groups in Los Angeles, USC Family Caregiver Support Center/LACRC is located on South Figueroa Street.
They have been offering caregiver-related training and support for the last 30 years.
The USC Family Caregiver Support Center/LACRC is located at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
To meet your new support group members, check out the event schedule on their website. They conduct several meetups (on the same campus) on a regular basis. You need to book an appointment for the same.
#4 Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UCLA
This is a great opportunity for caregivers staying near Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles. Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research organizes support group meetings on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research does not lump all Dementia caregiver groups in one single group. They have separate Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Frontotemporal Dementia caregiver meetup groups respectively.
#5 Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP)
Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) is one of the best resources for unpaid caregivers offering care to an older adult with Alzheimer’s disease. You need to be 18 years and older to qualify for the in-person meetup.
Note that the primary caregiver could be a grandparent, step-grandparent, or any other relative who is 55 and older. Family members or friends other than the primary caregiver are unfortunately not eligible to be a part of the caregiver support program.
Furthermore, before heading to the nearest meetup organized by the Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP), make sure you have the papers that identify you as the primary caregiver. You can ask your loved one’s doctor to write an informal letter stating that you are the primary caregiver.
Summary
Caregiver support groups help you make friends with ease, in fact, this is one of the reasons why they are flourishing in Los Angeles. As a caregiver, you want to meet people who understand your situation better than other regular people. Also, it is not uncommon for support group members to become lifelong friends.
