Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County and Wilton Library are teaming up to provide two new support groups: one for caregivers, and one for grieving spouses.
Both groups are provided free of charge but pre-registration is required. They will meet at the Wilton Library (137 Old Ridgefield Rd.).
Support for Family Caregivers
Family caregivers make it possible for their loved ones who are ill to remain at home in comfortable and familiar surroundings–and out of costly institutions. It is a bittersweet journey of love and commitment that often brings overwhelming challenges, and caregivers need support.
This eight-week Caregiver Support Group will be held Monday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m., in The President’s Room at the Wilton Library, beginning April 2 and running through May 21.
“Any person caring for a loved one at home with a chronic illness or debilitating condition soon realizes that they have lost their independence and freedom,” said Bonnie Verses, a counselor with Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County. “The stress, isolation and exhaustion can be overwhelming for caregivers. Caregivers need to take a break and take care of themselves. They need to talk with others in similar circumstances, where they will find empathy and understanding that isn’t available anywhere else.”
The group will address the concerns of caregivers and the tremendous toll it takes on them, physically and emotionally.
Participants will receive support and guidance to assist them in managing the daily difficulties and challenges of their caregiving responsibilities.
For more information, or to pre-register for the Caregivers’ Support Group, contact Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County, at 203-834-6341, extension 316.
Support for Grieving the Death of a Spouse
This eight-week bereavement support group will help individuals cope with loss following the death of a spouse. The group will be held Wednesday afternoons from 1-2:30 p.m., in The President’s Room at the Wilton Library beginning April 4 and running through May 23.
“In this support group, we will explore the grieving process and the profound sense of personal loss that follows the death of a spouse,” said Verses, a grief and bereavement counselor with Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County.
“With the death of a spouse, we experience the loss of what is probably the most fundamental relationship in our adult lives,” she continued. “We not only lose a loved one but a vital part of our own identity as well. It can feel like half of our self is gone when a husband or wife dies and this can be terribly traumatic. This bereavement support group will help participants gain a deeper understanding of their feelings of grief and loss and begin the process of healing.”
For more information, or to register to attend the bereavement support group at the Wilton Library, call Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County at 203-762-8958, extension 316.