Support Group Facilitators create a safe, open environment where people share their feelings, thoughts and experience in a combined effort to better cope with and manage the shared problems of dementia. The goal of support groups is to provide emotional, social and/or educational support to group members.
Facilitator lead monthly meetings for family caregivers, adult children, spouses, or people living with dementia in the community. The groups are established in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association staff in neutral, accessible and safe locations.
The Association is seeking empathic, passionate and effective listeners with a demonstrated commitment to participants' needs to commit to a 1-year term delivering a monthly group. We seek applicants who can create and maintain a safe environment and respect the group process allowing all members to share. The Alzheimer's Association will call you for an interview and provide online and self-study materials to support your learning in this volunteer role. Your reward will be enhancing your knowledge of this cause, perfecting your public speaking techniques, and knowing that you serve your local community and the people you care about.
Due to the emotional weight of this position, the Association recommends against applying if you are currently caring for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia; have recently (within the last two years) lost someone to Alzheimer's or another dementia; or are recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another dementia. This is to protect the mental well-being of the volunteer as well as the Support Group participants.
