A Community for Caregivers

Navigating the challenges of dementia can be overwhelming, which is why Camilla “Cammy” Anderson has relied on Masonic Village at Elizabethtown’s Dementia Caregiver Support Group for the past nine years.

Cammy and her husband, Bill, moved to Masonic Village at Elizabethtown in 2005. When Bill was diagnosed with dementia in 2015, Cammy’s life changed dramatically as she took on the role of his full-time caregiver.

“I had to not only take over the ‘doing for two’ but also ‘thinking for two,’” she said.

After Bill’s diagnosis, Cammy worked closely with their assigned Care Navigator, a Masonic Village staff member who guided her through the medical aspects of caregiving and suggested attending the dementia support group.

The emotional and physical demands of caregiving were taxing, but the support group became a lifeline for Cammy.

“I truly could not have gotten through those years without this excellent support group,” she said.

The group, facilitated by social workers, offered Cammy a safe space to share her struggles and learn from others.

“I remember that after every meeting, I left feeling as if a burden had been lifted from my shoulders, because I had been able to express my concerns while hearing others express similar ones,” Cammy said. “I had the advantage of gaining coping skills and strategies to deal with challenging situations.”

The dementia caregiver meetings are open to Masonic Village residents and the community, with some caring for loved ones at home and others in the Masonic Health Care Center.

“One’s caregiving does not cease because your loved one is in a care facility,” she said. “It is just a different dynamic.”

The format of each meeting varies monthly. Sometimes, guest speakers present helpful information, while other times, it is an open forum where attendees can comment, discuss and ask questions.

A proponent of support groups, Cammy recommends the group to others, and even offers to accompany them to meetings if they feel uncomfortable going by themselves.

“Sometimes one can have apprehensions about being part of a support group,” Cammy said, “so just having someone to walk into the meeting room with can be reassuring.”

There is comfort in being able to express one’s emotions through discussion, but Cammy emphasizes that speaking is not necessary; listening is also welcomed.

“Those who just listen also return regularly. They are obviously processing and absorbing what is being discussed and, therefore, being helped, whether they speak or not,” she said.

Even after Bill’s passing in 2018, Cammy continues to attend the support group meetings, finding purpose in supporting others through their caregiving journeys.

“While I cannot repay the group members from the past for all they did for me then by their presence and sharing, I can do the same for others by being there and sharing with them,” she said.

The Dementia Caregiver Support Group meets on the third Tuesday of the month, at 10:30 a.m., in the Masonic Health Care Center Courtyard Conference Room. It is facilitated by social workers Desiree Ecker and Tammy Stauffer.

About the author: Alyssa Weaver is a public relations associate at Masonic Villages. She is majoring in media and culture at West Chester University.