Support Groups
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Need help coping with the stresses of life? The Calhoun Times is running this column detailing support groups in the area.)
Narconon reminds families that abuse of addictive pharmaceutical drugs is on the rise. Learn to recognize the signs of drug abuse and get your loved ones help if they are at risk. Call Narconon for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all types of drugs. Narconon also offers free assessments and referrals. 800-431-1754 or DrugAbuseSolution. com Narconon can help you take steps overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free assessments or referrals. 800431-1754.
A Grief Support Group will meet on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 from March 4 to May 27 at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist in Calhoun, located at 4289 Red Bud Road.
Pastor Keith Reid of East Calhoun Church invites those suffering from the death of a loved one and who are going through times of discouragement and depression to the church every Sunday at 6 p.m. The church has been working on the physical needs of the community such as food and clothing, however stastitcs show that during the holiday’s, suffering from the loss of a loved one at any time, leaves people feeling isolated and alone, sadly leading to heightened numbers of suicides. The group will show participants steps they can take to overcome their feelings of sadness and depression. For more information contact East Calhoun Church at 706629-0949 or visit eastcalhounchurch.com.
ASCA (Adult survivors of childhood abuse) meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Calhoun. Go to meetup.com to find out more information or www.ascasupport. org for more information or to download the manual.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a support group offering help to families dealing with mental illness. NAMI offers a free 12week course – FamilyTo-Family – that helps family members and caregivers understand what their loved one is going through, information about medications and therapy, and how to deal with crisis when it comes, plus much more. The next class is scheduled to begin in January in Rome. For more information contact Bonnie Moore at 706-232-4607. There is help and hope.
The Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is sponsoring a monthly support group for family and friends at Morning Pointe Assisted Living, 660 Jolly Road, on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or know a family that needs more support, the Alzheimer’s Association encourages you to attend the monthly support group. Not only will you meet people who are walking this walk with you, you will receive the latest updates about the treatment of the disease and gain information about your local helping agencies. If anyone in the community would like to come, Morning Pointe will provide respite care whill attending the meeting. For more information or directions, call Lavonne Dunn, Lantern Program Director, at 706-629-0777. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, call 800-272-3900 or 706-275-0819.
A support group for local residents with multiple sclerosis is being organized. If you have MS, are related to someone who does, or are caring for someone with MS, call Charles Smith at 706-625-2752.
Special Care Plus, a free one-on-one consultation program, is offering assistance to primary caregivers of dementia patients. Each caregiver will receive basic information on the different stages of the disease; tips on caregiving techniques; nutritional information and home safety; information about programs such as Safe Return, which promotes wandering safety, and Caring Closet, which provides incontinent products for free; support group information, both local and telephone, which provide emotional and educational support; and referrals to other helping agencies and other resources which the care consultant determines necessary to meet the needs of each individual case. Any primary care- giver who is caring for a loved one with dementia and is still living at home is eligible to receive this program. The program includes three visits and a free instructional book. To learn more about this program, call Laurie Parker at 706-275-0819 or 800-272-3900.
A new support group is organizing for parents of children with cerebral palsy. If interested, call Deana Bohannon at 706602-4555 to discuss time and place to meet.
The Georgia LongTerm Care Ombudsman Program seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities. Ombudsmen investigate and work to resolve problems or complaints affecting long-term care facility residents; identify problem areas in long-term care and serve as advocates for change; provide information about long-term care and related services; promote resident, family, and community involvement in long-term care; educate the community about the needs of longterm care residents; coordinate efforts with other agencies concerned with long-term care, visit longterm care facilities routinely to talk to residents and monitor conditions; and educate facility staff about resident rights and other issues. For more information, call Linda Ann Daniel at 1-866-5658213 or 706-272-2158.
The Alzheimer’s Association’s Caring Closet was created to help offset the high cost of incontinent products and give the families support they often desperately need. Once a month, family caregivers caring for their loved one with dementia still living at home visit the Closet and receive free items. If you would like to visit the nearest Closet, call the chapter office to receive a flier with locations and hours. Regal Morning Pointe in Calhoun has a Caring Closet; call Donna Hales at 706-629-0777.
The Northwest Georgia Parkinson Disease Association, Inc. , is offering a monthly support group for persons living with Parkinson Disease, their caregivers, family and friends. The support group will meet at Gordon Hospital, Conference Room A. Refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend the support group meeting. For any questions about the support group and future meetings, call James Trussell at 706-235-3164 or 706-346-5678.