Dr. Alan Dienstag

 

Caregiver support groups can be a marvelous resource for people who join them.  But most caregivers do not join support groups. 

 

Ina’s Story is a six session educational workshop that uses the story of one caregiver as source material to provide other caregivers with the information and tools they need to cope with the demands of caring for a spouse with dementia.

 

To encourage networking among class members, a blog will be created and moderated by the group leaders.  Group members can share their thoughts between sessions; ask questions and access links and information posted by the group leaders in this way

Ina Feidelman and psychologist Alan Dienstag developed Ina’s story and will co-lead the workshop. Dr. Dienstag specializes in working with caregivers and people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The curriculum begins with the earliest signs and indications of Ina’s husband’s illness and proceeds in chapters presented at each class through to the end of Ina’s experience as a caregiver.

 Each chapter brings to life the emotional, psychological and practical challenges of a particular moment in the journey of a spouse caregiver.  Additional material from other sources will also be provided and there will be ample time for discussion during each meeting.

 

 

With these words, Ina Feidelman embarked on an eight-year journey for which she was completely unprepared.

 

Like most caregivers, Ina knew little about her husband’s condition, and even less about the physical, psychological and emotional demands of caring for a person with dementia.

 

Ina’s Story is the chronicle of her education, developed in conjunction with the psychologist whose assistance she sought out along the way.