The Schmieding Center in Springdale is helping bridge the gap between diagnosis and daily caregiving by hosting seven different support groups across Arkansas.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — When a friend or loved one is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s, caregivers often find themselves facing overwhelming challenges and countless questions. For many, support groups become a vital source of comfort and guidance.
The Schmieding Center in Springdale is helping bridge the gap between diagnosis and daily caregiving by hosting seven different support groups across Northwest Arkansas. Lauren Gale, a social worker at the center, emphasized the importance of these gatherings.
“We really try to fill that gap between receiving the diagnosis from the doctor and then feeling alone,” Gale said.
These support groups meet once a month in different cities, including Bella Vista, Rogers, Springdale, Gentry, Fayetteville, and Prairie Grove. What makes them unique is that they are led by caregivers themselves.
“Peer-to-peer support is so important,” Gale said. “They’re watching people, or getting to meet people, getting support from people who are actively living it. They get to watch their mistakes and learn from their mistakes, but then also get to see their successes.”
For first-time attendees, the experience can be transformative. Gale recounted moments when new members walked into a group thinking they were alone, only to find immediate relief upon realizing others shared similar experiences.
“You just see their tension physically escape their body because they’re finally with other people who understand,” Gale said.
Gale said the worst thing you can do is think you have to do it all by yourself.
“You are going to be welcomed with open arms and people who understand what it was like for their first time,” she said. “We have caregivers who have completed their journey. Their loved one has passed, but they continue to come to the group because it’s therapeutic for them. It’s going to be the best place to get real-life circumstances and information and what’s in our area.”
See a full list of support groups through the Schmieding Center here.
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