Educational and Support Counseling

Counseling is available for support, educational value and crisis issues. Consultations are conducted in our office, in your home or on the telephone.

Educational and Support Counseling
Counseling is crucial in helping families understand the disease and in learning how to manage their caregiving role. Through consultation sessions with family service staff, caregivers are given the opportunity to learn coping options and strategies. In addition, they gain an understanding of the disease's characteristics and learn how they are related to behaviors.

Family service professionals also help the caregiver assess his or her current situation. An individualized "caregiver plan" is provided to assist in the management of the caregiving role. Periodic follow-up calls are made to help the family as the disease progresses and situations change.

Crisis Counseling
Should an emergency arise, the Alzheimer Resource Center staff is trained to help the family handle traumatic events.  Catastrophic situations can include the patient or the caregiver being in immediate danger, or sudden disruption of the living environment due to death, illness or loss of home.
 
At initial contact, a formal evaluation of the situation is conducted by the family service staff to help the caregiver determine both immediate and long term needs.  Caregivers are then advised of options through our agency or within the community for crisis assistance and/or stress management.  Family service professionals will also keep in contact with the family through follow-up calls or visits.