Caregiver Support Group

The Office on Aging facilitates a monthly meeting for those giving care to an elderly or disabled family member or friend.

The group offers education, information and peer support for caregivers in the Magic Valley. This group meets on the 1st Monday of each month in various locations.

The meetings are held from 1pm – 2:30pm

If you want to get on the mailing list to receive notices for these meetings, contact:
Shawna Wasko
either by email swasko@ooa.csi.edu
or by phone 736-2122
And you can receive meeting notices by mail.

*certificates are issued for those needing credits for Certified Family Homes

GAP - Grandparents as Parents

Shawna facilitates a monthly meeting for people raising their grandchildren.

Shawna can be reached at:
208 736-2122 or 800-574-8656

Parenting can be different the second time around. The Office on Aging provides speakers that help these families on matters ranging from legal guardianship to discipline that works in today's world.

Grandparents raise grandchildren for many reasons, to include death, incarceration, neglect, health problems, just to name a few. Join us for support, guidance and training. It's FREE!

Twin Falls meets the 2nd Monday of each month 6-7:30 pm at the Episcopal church, 371 Eastland, Twin Falls.

Call if you need a babysitter at the meetings.

Joining Hands to Raise the Next Generation.

Widowed Wellness Programs of Idaho, Inc.

Widowed Wellness is a place widowed persons, male or female, of any age, can call or visit, and find other widowed people who will listen and understand.

The concept of widowed wellness is that those who have been widowed are the most helpful to the newly widowed.

We offer a series of meetings on "Coping with Widowhood." Through the eight-week sessions widowed men and women will receive information about the grieving process, meet new friends and find a supportive, understanding ear.

For class schedules please check the upcoming events on the left.

DO'S OF GRIEF

• Eat at least one good meal a day
• Drink lots of water (grief is an extreme dehydrator)
• Cry
• Get your rest
• Start a Journal

DON'T'S OF GRIEF (FOR AT LEAST A YEAR)

• Sell your house
• Date or get married
• Drink too much alcohol (alcohol is a depressant)
• Get rid of personal effects of loved one

If you want more information about the grieving process or widowed wellness programs, please contact Shawna Wasko either via phone at 736-2122 or via email at swasko@ooa.csi.edu.

HELPING A FRIEND IN GRIEF

• BE AWARE: Remember that grief work is a normal and necessary process.
• BE THERE : Learn to be with the person, not to solve the problem.
• BE SENSITIVE : Allow the pain. Learn to enter into it, not try to take it away.
• BE HUMAN : Allow expressions of feelings (guilt, anger, sorrow, depression) without judgment.
• BE READY : To listen when the story is told over and over and over.
• BE PATIENT : Remember that the process of mourning takes time.
• CONTACT US : And we will send information about the group to your friend.