Family Caregiver Support

For people caring for an aging parent, spouse, or an adult child with disabilities, or an older adult raising a grandchild. Caregiving can turn your life upside down.  We’ll help you get it right again.

Caregiving could be one of the most important things you ever do.  It can be challenging and rewarding—and often frustrating.  The Family Caregiver Support Program provides the support and services you need.

If you’re a caregiver, you are not alone. Did you know...

• One quarter of American families—or roughly 54 million people—care for an older family member, an adult child with disabilities, or a friend.

• Nearly 44% of all caregivers are men.

• More than one in three caregivers live with the care recipient.

• More than half the family caregivers are between the ages of 35 and 64—struggling to balance work, children, and caregiving 

Finding ways to cope with the strains and stresses of caregiving can be challenging, but we are here to help. These are some of the services we provide:

• In-home assessments to help you determine how much and what kinds of care are needed

• Information about the resources available and referrals to the specific services and programs that meet your needs

• Counseling and support groups to help you cope with the stress, worry, and loneliness that caregivers often experience

• Education and training in the skills that caregiving requires and specialized support in dealing with the effects of Alzheimer's disease and dementia

• Support groups where caregivers share both their difficulties and their tips for supporting their loved ones

• Meetings with caregivers individually and as a family to work on particular needs.

• Assistance in finding respite care to give yourself “time off” from your caregiving responsibilities

• Find support 24/7 by visiting our website www.caregiversmatter.org  

Program Events and Workshops

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?

The most common symptoms of Alzheimer's diesease:

  • Loss of memory, decreased ability to learn, and decreased attention span
  • Loss of thinking ability, judgment, and decision making
  • Loss of ability to recall the appropriate word or phrase
  • Loss of mathematical ability
  • Disorientation: gets lost; can't find way home
  • Loss of physical coordination: inability to perform skilled motor acts
  • Changes in personality: the outgoing person may become withdrawn; the loving person may become uncaring
  • Changes in emotion, including agitation, depression and suspiciousness
  • Loss of initiative; indifferent

What other symptoms could occur?

Some of the more difficult symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease are:

  • Loss of ability to communicate
  • Loss of ability to recall family members and/or close friends
  • Difficulty with common tasks, like driving a car
  • Loss of independence
  • Awareness of memory changes
  • Confusion and inability to follow instructions
  • Inability to perform daily tasks
  • Repetition of phrases and stories
  • Wandering
  • Loss of social Inhibition (public displays of sexuality)
  • Accusations of sexual misbehavior and of stealing
  • Changes in personality, including rage and withdrawal
  • Verbal profanity when outside of normal personality
  • Refusal to give up driving a car

What are some early signs which might indicate Alzheimer's Disease or other related dementia?

What is the best way to communicate with someone who has Alzheimer's or dementia, and also has hearing or vision limitations?

If the person has difficulty hearing:
• Approach the person from the front
• Stand directly in front of the person when speaking to him or her
• Get the person's attention by saying his or her name, and give a gentle touch
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Use a lower tone of voice
• Use unspoken communication like pointing, gesturing or touch
• Write things down, if needed
• If he or she has a hearing aid, encourage the person to wear it; check the battery often

If the person has difficulty seeing:
• Avoid startling the person
• Don 't make loud noises or sudden movements
• Identify yourself as you approach the person
• Tell the person of your intentions before you begin
• Use large-print or audiotape materials, if available
• If he or she has glasses, encourage the person to wear them; keep them clean and have the prescription checked regularly

Who is this program best for?

We offer free services to any resident of Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus, or Swampscott, who is caring for a family member or friend or caregivers of people age 60 and older who live in our service area.  We are available to talk with you about your caregiving challenges and how our program might be of help to you.  Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions. 

(If you do not live in any of these communities, you can visit www.800ageinfo.com to find a similar program in your home area)

As always, if this program isn't right for you, we will work to find a program to fit your particular needs. Please call us with any questions between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM , Monday through Friday, or email us any time at info@glss.net.

Program Events and Workshops

We offer several virtual support groups along with monthly in-person support groups in Lynnfield and Nahant. Our "In the Moment" Memory Cafe, currently on hiatus for the summer, meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Lynn Museum from 10:00-11:30 A.M. Please call or email Michele Parr, Caregiver Specialist, at mparr@glss.net or 781-599-0110 Ext. 6635 with any questions about these programs.
 
Where can I get more information?
To learn more about aging services in Massachusetts, call 1-800-age-info (1-800-243-4636) or visit 800ageinfo.com.

Father and Son Walking Outside

Latest Caregiver News

Program Brochure

Family Caregiver Brochure

Family Caregiver Support Program

Click the Caregiver Brochure to download the brochure for the Family Caregiver Support Program.

GLSS Resources

Michele Parr, Caregiver Specialist
781-599-0110, Ext. 6635,  or mparr@glss.net

Caregiver Support groups are a safe place for caregivers to connect with others to share the challenges and joys of caregiving. There is no charge to participate and the size of each group is limited. Please contact Michele Parr to find out how to join either a Zoom or in-person group.

GLSS Support Groups - Online Zoom meetings

Significant Other/Spouse Caregivers
2nd and 4th Wednesday at 11:00 A.M.

Adult Children Caring for Parents
2nd and 4th Tuesday at 7:00 P.M.

GLSS Support Groups - In Person

Lynnfield Group - 3rd Thursday of the month, 11:00 A.M.
Lynnfield Senior Center  - 525 Salem Street, Lynnfield, MA

Nahant Group - 3rd Tuesday of the month, 11:00 A.M.
Village Church - 27 Cliff Street, Nahant, MA 

GLSS' 'In the Moment' Memory Café 

4th Thursday of the month 10:00-11:30 A.M. at the Lynn Museum (currently on hiatus for the summer) 
590 Washington St, 
Lynn, MA 01901

Caregivers Matter is a helpful website developed by former GLSS staff Debby Segil and Taylor Lamberta and brought to you by GLSS CaregiversMatter.org

 For caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia:

The Alzheimer's Association 
www.alz.org 
24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 for resources and support groups