During the month of November, Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens (PGCSC) celebrates the 804,000 Arizona informal family caregivers that provide daily care for a loved one, equaling approximately $9.4 billion in unpaid care.

Many of the care recipients have Alzheimer’s or another condition that causes the symptoms of dementia/memory loss, difficulty making decisions and communicating, and disorientation or confusion.

Individuals living with dementia, as well as their spouses, children or others who are close to them, often become socially isolated. This is due to the increasing difficulty of engaging in everyday activities, compounded by the stigma that makes people feel unwelcome or embarrassed when symptoms occur in public situations.

The number of family caregivers continues to grow in proportion to the aging population.

Demands on family caregivers are multi-faceted. Demands are physical, emotional, financial and spiritual. Most of the caregivers PGCSC works with are caring for either a spouse or a parent.

These individuals make personal sacrifices every day, placing their loved ones’ needs ahead of their own.

The Family Caregiver Support Program works to alleviate some of the demands placed on family caregivers by providing caregiver peer support groups, caregiver training and education, case management and respite care, along with information and referral services.

PGCSC offers a monthly Caregiver Support Group to anyone caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of the support group is to provide an opportunity for family members, friends, caregivers, and other interested individuals to meet regularly for mutual emotional support, exchange coping skills, talk through challenges, and learn about available resources. There is no cost to attend and no commitments.

Join Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens’ Globe Support Group, every second Tuesday from 12:15-1:45 p.m. at the Globe Active Adult Center, located at 579 S. Broad St. For information, call 928-425-9030.