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Session 5 - Living with Change

Part 3 - Sources of Support

Most communities have agencies and services that can help you.  Services for the elderly and their care partners vary across each province.

You can find out what services are available in or closest to your community from a number of sources:

  • Your local Alzheimer Society
  • Your family doctor, health clinic or social worker
  • The public health department in your area
  • Community organizations
  • Your friends, family, neighbours, especially if they have been care partners

Circle of Support

Support from others can reduce stress and increase chances for success. Your circle of support can include people inside and outside the family. And community organizations and agencies may also be included. Complete the circle of support “cloud” exercise below to help you identify, and possibly expand, the sources of support (formal and informal) that are available to you.

Think about the people or organizations that are your primary sources of support. Type the name of one person or organization in the box below, where it says "Type word here". Move to the next box and type another one. You can type up to 15 people or organizations. Drag the bar along the scale to show how important each person or organization is to you in relation to the others. When you are finished hit "Generate" and see your circle of support appear in a "cloud" picture.

Not that important Very important

For reflection.....

After you complete the exercise, print a copy of your “cloud” and take a few minutes to reflect on the following questions.  Feel free to make some notes.

  • What are your strongest and most reliable sources of support?
  • What are the informal and/or formal sources of support that you might lean on for more help in the future?
  • Now that you’ve created your own “cloud”, what will you continue to do in order to benefit from the sources of support that are available to you? What will you stop or do differently?

To learn more about what supports are available in or close to your community, scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.

Join the Conversation

Visit the Discussion Forums, where you can post, in a common area, messages to all other community members. It’s a place for you to interact with others and to share tips around available community supports.

At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.


Other Sessions in Seeds of Hope - Family Learning Series

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18