2:30-4:30 Dementia Care Companions
Spiritual Formation
Dementia Care Companions: Supporting Those Who Care
Approximately 7% of the US population have been diagnosed with some form of dementia, and the number is increasing every year as the population ages.
Nearly 13 million people in the United States are informal caregivers for people with dementia. In 2025, they provided more than 19 billion hours of care. This care is done with incredible love but is exhausting. Psychologist Barbara Hanson Dennis writes, “Fellow caregivers can be an absolute goldmine—not only for ideas, but for venting when things are tough. It takes a fellow caregiver to fully understand what you are going through.”
Deacon Steve will be co-coordinating this group with LaVone Radtke and offering two opportunities for caregivers for those with dementia to come together for mutual support in the difficult journey of caregiving. Dementia Care Companions groups will meet beginning October 6. We will offer an afternoon session (2:30-4:30 pm) and evening session (6:30-8:30 pm) on the first Tuesday of each month. Participants choose to sign up for only 1 session. Each session is a guided experience in discussing the joys and heartaches of caring for someone with dementia. The group is not for those with dementia, but rather it is for those who care for them.
Those interested are invited to register through the church office (deannar@faithfl.org or 651-464-3323) by September 22. There will be a maximum of 12 per group. Members of Faith and members of the community are invited to participate.