GRANDPARENTS’ SUPPORT GROUP

HEARTS OF GOLD

Mission statement:

The purpose of the Grandparents’ Support Group is to provide a safe, supportive and relaxing environment where grandparents can share their feelings and receive support from others who are experiencing the same set of circumstances. The FSCs goal is for all grandparents to receive the support they require during their most desperate hour of need. The Support Groups’ format will be operated based on Parents Anonymous of New Jersey’s program.

Reasons to Have This Support Group:

• To focus on the essential needs of grandparents and allow them to vent their frustrations
• To allow participant caregivers to find alternative methods of coping with stress
• To improve the grandparents’ relationship with their grandchildren in order to meet their needs and focus on the well-being of the child
• To improve the participants’ self-esteem and self-image by sharing their internal feelings of helplessness, depression, rage and being overwhelmed
• To help reconcile issues related to the caregivers’ current family situation
• To concentrate on the needs of grandparents’ specifically
• To allow other grandparents’ to share their stories and experiences this will allow them to be supportive of others
• To focus on the grandparents’ role of being a parent and emphasize the joys and positive responsibilities that are intrinsic to that function
• To prevent caregiver “burnout” and offer effective stress management techniques
• To inform grandparents that this is their support group and that they can share as little or as much as they want
• To let grandparents know that they are not alone and that there is a sense of purpose and belonging within the support group community, where everyone is able to receive and give to each other

The Logistics:

The Support group meets twice a month, every 2nd and 4th Tuesday.
The group meets for 2 hours on Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Weequahic Family Success Center located at 1065 Bergen Street Newark New Jersey, 07112
No fees will be charged and anonymity will be enforced Grandparents will participate in the support group for as long as they wish participants will refer to each other by first name only.

All topics of discussions will be kept confidential.

Election of Leader, Vice-Leader, and committee chair shall be yearly (September)

For additional information about participating in the Grandparent Support Group, please contact Hazel Smith, Support Group Facilitator, at (862) 237-7398.