FORT SMITH, Ark. — When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's, their caregiver is thrown into a new challenge with a lot of questions. Support groups usually become caregivers' go-to resource to help navigate all of the unknowns.
"Providing care for someone with dementia 24/7 is a lot and it can be very difficult for caregivers," said Louise Spaunhurst, the River Valley Alzheimer's Support Group facilitator.
Spaunhurst says the support group is so beneficial for helping caregivers realize they are not alone in their journey.
"People can come together and find out that their story really is pretty similar to someone else's story," she said. "I think that's the best thing that comes from a support group is that you do find out you're not alone. There are other people dealing with the same kinds of issues."
Spaunhurst runs two support groups in the River Valley that meet once a month.
- River Valley Alzheimer's Support Group
- Time: Meets on the second Thursday of every month at 4 p.m.
- Where: Blue Cross & Blue Shield Community Room at 3501 Old Greenwood Rd., Suite #3 in Fort Smith
- Crawford County Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregiver Support Group
- Time: Meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m.
- Where: Legacy Heights Memory Lane at 1012 Fayetteville Rd. in Van Buren
There is also a third support group in the River Valley that is run by Mary Stuttgen. The St. Boniface Support Group meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 1320 North B St. in Fort Smith. For a full list of support groups in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Alzheimer's Association's website.
Spaunhurst says the main point of the groups is to let people know it's OK to ask for help.
"What I have seen is when people come, they feel desperate," she said. "'I don't need help. I can do this myself.' But in all reality, it does take a team to take care of someone because there's got to be some downtime for that person."
According to Spaunhurst, the worst thing you can do is think you can do it all by yourself.
"When you're caring for someone, you're on this journey, and we talk about that journey a lot," she said. "We can learn from each other because every one that comes to the support group has knowledge. They've had experiences and they can share that with others."
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.