 Caregiver Support Group Available to Residents
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Betsy Zuber, City Geriatric
Specialist, visiting with a senior
client; click
for more information
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For almost three years, longtime Mercer Island resident Bev Horwitz has been an active member of the City's Caregiver Support Group. Jim Long has too, even moving appointments and scheduling his travel to ensure he can attend the monthly meetings. Both have been caring for spouses with memory impairment and cognition loss.
Jim's wife suffered from Alzheimer's for seven years and lived on Mercer Island until she passed away in January. "
The group is such a great place to hear other peoples' stories and learn from them. When new things would come up with my wife, I wouldn't be totally surprised," he says. "For people dealing with Alzheimer's, it's a great thing to have available."
Bev, 75, takes care of her husband of 30 years, Eddie, at home. "When Eddie was diagnosed with vascular dementia,
I had no real experience with that disease," she says. "I had questions and problems I needed to figure out." She too joined the group and found it very beneficial over time. "I'm there with people who understand what I'm talking about. We're sharing similar challenges and problems, and we can relate to each other."
A former teacher, Bev gives group facilitator Betsy Zuber "an A+" for her caring and skill. "Betsy always understands our situation. She'll suggest things or asks questions to help us find solutions to whatever we need. She's a wealth of knowledge about other community resources, too."
The group meets on the first Thursday of every month, from 2:30-4:00pm, at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (8236 SE 24
th
Street); to join, please contact Geriatric Specialist Betsy Zuber at (206) 275-7752.
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