In La Grange at the Hospice Brazos Valley, caregivers and loved ones have been meeting for 15 years to support each other as their loved ones face dementia and other conditions.
On the second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., Cindy Fanning leads a support group for caregivers and loved ones of those with dementia. On the third Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m., she leads a group for caregivers and loved ones of those with chronic or terminal illness facing anticipatory grief – feelings of grief or loss that are felt before the loss actually happens. Fanning says there is a lot of overlap between the two groups, and that caregivers of people with dementia often attend both groups.
The group is well-attended for the area. People come from surrounding towns and have come from as far as 50 miles away for the fellowship and support. Fayette County has an Alzheimer’s Disease prevalence rate of 11.6 percent of those age 65 and older, which is just shy of the Texas average of 11.9 percent.