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Your support group sounds as if it is working well and being helpful to many people. Seeler. Things like this make me smile as I hear about the caring and sharing. I have noticed that some of the people with specific challenges locally have 'found' each other and I hear about them visiting back and forth or chatting on the phone. So far I haven't heard about caregivers doing this.
There is a caregiver in this community who tends to talk my ear off when we meet. Apparently few people are prepared to just listen without judging. This person never mentions their caregiving role any more to 'friends' at church. Like me, when I was in a caregiver role, there is too much 'telling'. We have both heard comments that said we weren't being sufficiently loving, understanding, helpful etc while our own frustrations and confusions got glossed over as unimportant. I was told I 'shouldn't feel that way' and that I 'should be ashamed of myself' for sharing a bit of my pain. Apparently one is supposed to be delighted with the opportunities for taking care of a person with multiple difficulties and a hair trigger temper accompanied by a filthy mouth!
 
Seeler said:
It seems that there are either more men with Parkinsons or that they are more apt to join a support group.
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That's interesting, I've found the opposite with health support groups. FB HAE groups, workshops for pain or chronic conditions and the fibromyalgia group all had more women. I wonder if your group did something to attract men better, maybe even just having a man who started it?

Glad to hear it was a good meeting!
 
KayTheCurler said:
Your support group sounds as if it is working well and being helpful to many people. Seeler. Things like this make me smile as I hear about the caring and sharing. I have noticed that some of the people with specific challenges locally have 'found' each other and I hear about them visiting back and forth or chatting on the phone. So far I haven't heard about caregivers doing this.
There is a caregiver in this community who tends to talk my ear off when we meet. Apparently few people are prepared to just listen without judging. This person never mentions their caregiving role any more to 'friends' at church. Like me, when I was in a caregiver role, there is too much 'telling'. We have both heard comments that said we weren't being sufficiently loving, understanding, helpful etc while our own frustrations and confusions got glossed over as unimportant. I was told I 'shouldn't feel that way' and that I 'should be ashamed of myself' for sharing a bit of my pain. Apparently one is supposed to be delighted with the opportunities for taking care of a person with multiple difficulties and a hair trigger temper accompanied by a filthy mouth!
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That's unfortunately Kay.
The health workshops were also open to a 'support person', whether that was defined as a caregiver or not. Few came. I had invited Chemguy, even the time I wasn't up for driving in snow he decided to go grocery shopping and then just sat and waited in the parking lot for a fairly long period of time.
 
Perhaps I should explain - when I say 'care-givers' I don't mean people hired to provide care. I am referring to spouses, offspring, or friends who accompany the Parkinsons people to their meetings. - some of us don't drive, some have mobility problems. Rather than just dropping us off and coming back two hours later they join us for the first part of the meeting and then have their own small groups. Having never been in their group I am not sure what they discuss - probably about the adjustments that Parkinsons have made in their lives, hints for how to cope, a place to share frustration or worry and to exchange information. I think it may be harder for male caregivers than for women. Women have gotten used to being the caregiver in the family. Also they are more used to giving and receiving support from each other.
It is important to look after the caregiver. - for them to look after themselves and each other. We depend upon them.
 
Seeler, that's how I view caregivers too, but there are also support people who wouldn't define themselves as a caregiver.
 
I haven't heard about any ongoing support groups locally for any of the things people may want them for. A few times an individual has tried to form a group but there seems to be a need for a professional person to plan programmes and discussions. Without knowledgeable leadership the groups drift apart because there isn't enough learning and/or variety. Occasionally there are short term groups- grief support comes around most years, but it is only for a few weeks. That group is run by a funeral home.
 
Pinga - this is another time I might wish to be 20 years younger and I would love to be your travelling companion. (Are you going with someone - husband, son, friend?))
Have a great trip.
 
KayTheCurler said:
I haven't heard about any ongoing support groups locally for any of the things people may want them for. A few times an individual has tried to form a group but there seems to be a need for a professional person to plan programmes and discussions. Without knowledgeable leadership the groups drift apart because there isn't enough learning and/or variety. Occasionally there are short term groups- grief support comes around most years, but it is only for a few weeks. That group is run by a funeral home.
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Since I joined a group that has been in existence for a decade or more, I have no idea how it was first organized or if they had professional help in the beginning. Now it seems to be self supporting - volunteers from the group do the loose organizing and planning for the meetings. As far as I can tell there are no fees, no budget, no bank account, no constitution, no membership requirements. Come to a meeting - give your name and e-mail to the volunteer who sends out notices of meetings and you're a member.
 
Last night was our church Leadership team meeting. We have 3 meetings this week. Tues and Thurs and then a congregational meeting on Sunday. I'm spending about 1 hour a day on this stuff.
I'm very glad I offered to chair for only 6 weeks.
Folks complimented me on how well I ran last nights meeting. I also received positive feedback about Tues. meeting. Lots going on with differnts groups and times of transitions.
I can do this stuff and do have the skills but it is not a passion for me. Other things bring me greater joy.
I will be pleased when some of out issues are resolved.
I want a good leaving as our current minister retires
a good beginning for a new minister and a resolution to our new home search.
 
Cool but sunny here today :-) Frost warning tonight! I've got the day off & 'my men' are away ... so a peaceful time for just me! I spent a few hours at the garden centre this morning - how perfectly delightful! Until I get to the check-out where the total is usually somehow surprising!! Some former neighbours dropped by unexpectedly today to say hello - it was so nice to see them. Tonight I'm off to our 'year end' euchre dinner - should be lots of fun. Probably some gardening tomorrow. I've been reading up on one beautiful blue grass I bought - suspicious that it might be invasive - and it seems I'm right about that despite the claim of the garden centre staff. So I'll have to plant it in a big bucket sunk into the garden to limit the travel of roots. On Sunday a brunch for brother in law who retired a few months ago ... another lovely event :-) I am so grateful.
 
Today is almost too hot for it to be considered a nice day. At least the wind has died down, so I don't have to water my plants so often.
I just planted some more brussels seeds in the few spots where the seedlings don't seem like they are going to make it. I've been watering those and the peas frequently this past week - the bright sun and the wind have just been drying the soil out so fast!

The weather network lies! Says 26, but feels like 24. Ummm feels like 30 to me!
 
Chemguy's phone app claimed there were snow showers and it was 25C. Our weather might be a bit weird at times - but... :ROFLMAO:
 
Pinga said:
On other news, I just booked my trip to Shanghai and Singapore. A new country to travel to....so much fun.
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Looks like Switzerland and Italy for me due to Mrs.M having a conference in the former. I've been to the latter but not this part (last time was Rome and Naples, this time will be Milan). My uncle is Swiss so I've heard a lot about the country but this will be my first time there.

Would love to see Singapore someday. Shanghai is old hat for me but I haven't seen Mrs. M's family in a while (save the cousin who lives in Ontario) so a trip over there would be nice. We found (via said cousin) a nice Shanghainese restaurant in Markham so at least I had a taste of it.
 
I was in Aarau, Switzerland a few years ago with the same sister. She had to visit a plant there. I took the train everywhere. We were staying in a spa hotel. It was a great trip. Had a wonderful time.
 
The hummingbird, braving the chilly weather, catches our attention at the feeder. We look out the picture window. The cold drizzle that we woke up to has turned white. White! Yes, it's snowing. Snowing a week past the long weekend of May. Snowing!!!! (no build up - yet)
 
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