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POTECASI – Pine Forest Rest Home, located at 3277 NC Hwy 35, Woodland, will host their first dementia support group meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Gentiva Hospice and Liberty Home Health and Hospice Care are partnering with the facility for the event to help better understand dementia. The event is open to the community.

“We hope to see friendly faces and family members, but we are also so very excited to meet new friends,” said Cherie Jordan, Pine Forest Administrator in Charge.

Dementia’s impact cannot be understated. Its manifestations vary according to an individual’s situation. and support system. Caregivers often experience fatigue, feelings of overwhelm, and social isolation. There can be many unsettled feelings that caregivers have.

Some caretakers are living with loved ones without a diagnosis. Sometimes adult children may be upset because their parents may need more help than they are able to give, feeling emotions such as guilt and overwhelm. They may feel sadness when the time has come to seek outside help and resources. Your person may just be aging and can no longer care for themselves or oftentimes the person may have untreated dementia. Your person may have dementia but to the untrained caregiver they may seem to just have a little memory loss.

“We want the caregiver to know they aren’t alone. We hope to offer the support you need as well as offering an educational platform for the caregiver,” Jordan explained.

“We are hopeful that the caretakers and the dementia patients will benefit greatly from guidance provided by healthcare professionals,” she continued.

Jordan said that one of the goals is to establish a tailored approach that caters to the individual’s specific requirements while offering the support of the caregiver in all ways possible.

“We look forward to meeting you and beginning this journey of support. Remember you are not alone,” she concluded.