As you start to plan for your support group environment, one of the first things that you will need to decide on is who you would like to have be a part of your group.
For example:
- Will your group serve men or women? Adults or teenagers? Or all of the above?
- Will your group best serve those who have been recently diagnosed with a chronic condition, or will it also reach out to those who have lived with the disease for many years?
- Will seniors who live at home independently find it to be of value, as well as those who are currently living in assisted living facilities?
- Don't forget about the many people who live by themselves, plus, those who have large families.
- Will people who have hired caregivers as well as those who have volunteer caregivers, such as a family member, feel comfortable in your group?
- Will the group serve people who have very limited abilities and are bedridden a great deal of time, as well as those who are able to work full-time outside the home? People's abilities will vary to the extreme and perhaps change frequently.
- Will there be something beneficial from your group for parents of very young children and those whose children are now in adulthood?
- Do you feel comfortable serving both those who are very financially blessed, as well as those who are living day-to-day on minimum disability assistance?
- Do you feel comfortable serving those who live with a chronic illness themselves but are also a caregiver for someone such as for an aging parent or an autistic child?
- When considering if your small group will have a Christian foundation, are people of any religious background welcome to check it out?
- Would you prefer your group to have open membership, where people can join at any time, or would you rather have just certain times of the year new people can become members?
As you can see from the list above, there is no such thing as "typical" when it comes to describing the lifestyle of those with illness.
You may find yourself ministering to a man who is in his twenties. He looks perfectly healthy and even competed in your community marathon last year, but he has recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM or FMS). Perhaps he is going through the emotions of not being able to do what he once did and being told he over did his training last year-and so it's his fault he is now ill. He may even be teased that fibromyalgia is that "woman's disease."
And sitting across the room you may find a woman in her seventies who has only recently discovered that she has a chronic illness and it is quickly changing her lifestyle! She is not one bit happy about going from being an active gal who felt 50 to nearly being home-bound. She is grieving the loss of abilities, especially her independence, especially since up until recently she was still able to drive safely.
An important factor worth noting: If there are a group of people that you do not feel comfortable facilitating, you have the ability when announcing your group to decide who it is for. For example, if you are a woman facilitating a group and do not feel comfortable leading men in what could put you and others in a vulnerable situation, you have the right to make that decision. With many emotions expressed, and the divorce rate high among the chronically ill, you may want to avoid potentially awkward moments.
You do not have to feel responsible to address every situation for each individual in your group lesson plans. However, a successful facilitator will remember how different the lives are of those who live with chronic illness, often times in extremes.
The more efficiently you are able to understand the personalities, the background, and the experiences of those attending your group, the easier it will be to facilitate the group. You will not only be able to just encourage the members who attend, but also point out their strengths, and in turn, help them pass that encouragement onto others.
For example:
- Will your group serve men or women? Adults or teenagers? Or all of the above?
- Will your group best serve those who have been recently diagnosed with a chronic condition, or will it also reach out to those who have lived with the disease for many years?
- Will seniors who live at home independently find it to be of value, as well as those who are currently living in assisted living facilities?
- Don't forget about the many people who live by themselves, plus, those who have large families.
- Will people who have hired caregivers as well as those who have volunteer caregivers, such as a family member, feel comfortable in your group?
- Will the group serve people who have very limited abilities and are bedridden a great deal of time, as well as those who are able to work full-time outside the home? People's abilities will vary to the extreme and perhaps change frequently.
- Will there be something beneficial from your group for parents of very young children and those whose children are now in adulthood?
- Do you feel comfortable serving both those who are very financially blessed, as well as those who are living day-to-day on minimum disability assistance?
- Do you feel comfortable serving those who live with a chronic illness themselves but are also a caregiver for someone such as for an aging parent or an autistic child?
- When considering if your small group will have a Christian foundation, are people of any religious background welcome to check it out?
- Would you prefer your group to have open membership, where people can join at any time, or would you rather have just certain times of the year new people can become members?
As you can see from the list above, there is no such thing as "typical" when it comes to describing the lifestyle of those with illness.
You may find yourself ministering to a man who is in his twenties. He looks perfectly healthy and even competed in your community marathon last year, but he has recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM or FMS). Perhaps he is going through the emotions of not being able to do what he once did and being told he over did his training last year-and so it's his fault he is now ill. He may even be teased that fibromyalgia is that "woman's disease."
And sitting across the room you may find a woman in her seventies who has only recently discovered that she has a chronic illness and it is quickly changing her lifestyle! She is not one bit happy about going from being an active gal who felt 50 to nearly being home-bound. She is grieving the loss of abilities, especially her independence, especially since up until recently she was still able to drive safely.
An important factor worth noting: If there are a group of people that you do not feel comfortable facilitating, you have the ability when announcing your group to decide who it is for. For example, if you are a woman facilitating a group and do not feel comfortable leading men in what could put you and others in a vulnerable situation, you have the right to make that decision. With many emotions expressed, and the divorce rate high among the chronically ill, you may want to avoid potentially awkward moments.
You do not have to feel responsible to address every situation for each individual in your group lesson plans. However, a successful facilitator will remember how different the lives are of those who live with chronic illness, often times in extremes.
The more efficiently you are able to understand the personalities, the background, and the experiences of those attending your group, the easier it will be to facilitate the group. You will not only be able to just encourage the members who attend, but also point out their strengths, and in turn, help them pass that encouragement onto others.
About the Author:
If you lead a support group or are considering it, don't miss Lisa Copen's new book, "How to Start a Chronic Illness Small Group Ministry." Over 300 pages full of steps on how to write a vision statement, promotion and attendance tips to what to do when everyone just vents your whole meeting. Discover hundreds of resources at Rest Ministries .
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