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The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education
What to know about

Caregiver Support Groups for Medical Caregivers

These groups bring together family members, partners, and friends providing unpaid care for a loved one with a chronic illness, disability, serious injury, or complex medical condition: heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, neurological conditions, spinal cord and brain injury, ALS, Parkinson's, and many others. Caregiving is demanding and often invisible, with elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and isolation among those who do it. The group is a place where the role doesn't have to be performed or minimized, where practical knowledge and emotional support flow between people walking the same road.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A fit for any caregiver who wants community and shared, practical knowledge.
Works best when you're ready to focus on your own experience, not on fixing things.
Not therapy. Significant burnout or depression may also call for individual care.

What it's for

Any family member, partner, or close friend giving ongoing unpaid care.
Some groups are condition-specific; others are open to any diagnosis.
The group is for the caregiver, whether or not the care recipient knows.
What to expect
1Sessions run 60 to 90 minutes, meeting weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
2Open groups follow facilitated discussion; you share what's present.
3Structured groups add psychoeducation: the condition, communication, planning ahead.

Group-based caregiver support has measurable benefits.

A systematic review found psychosocial and group interventions improved caregiver quality of life, depression, and anxiety in chronic illness.1
A review and meta-analysis found group support and psychoeducation significantly reduced caregiver burden and improved mental health.2
Making the most of it
Your needs count too. The group gives permission to say caregiving is hard.
Borrow what works. Others have navigated the same systems and rooms.
Grief and love coexist. Resentment and devotion can sit in the same chair.
Questions to ask before you join
1Is this open discussion or a structured psychoeducational curriculum?
2Is it specific to my loved one's condition, or open to any caregiver?
3Is it peer-led or facilitated by a social worker or clinician?

Ready to find a group?

Browse 2,000+ therapy and support groups in all 50 states.

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In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education

Sources

Caregiver Support Groups for Medical Caregivers · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1McGuigan, K., Laurente, G., Christie, A., et al. Effectiveness of interventions for informal caregivers of people with end-stage chronic illness: a systematic review. Systematic Reviews (2024), 13(1), Article 245.

2Yesufu-Udechuku, A., Harrison, B., Mayo-Wilson, E., et al. Interventions to improve the experience of caring for people with severe mental illness: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry (2015), 206(4), 268–274.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact.