The Gathering

Every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Youth Room, Zion volunteers spend the day with a group of people from our congregation and our community who are experiencing early stages of dementia and other memory loss diseases. This group is called The Gathering.

The Gathering is a well-organized program provided by the Anoka County Family Caregiver Connection and staffed by volunteers of the Zion congregation. The day is spent visiting, doing crafts, exercising, and learning about whatever the topic for the day covers. Laughs and good fellowship are the orders of the day. While this is going on, the caregivers of these people are given a valuable break from the day-to-day stress involved with caring for a loved one. The client is given a chance to interact on a comfortable social level with people who care.

Below is one example of how this program helps members of our community and their families.

Client #1

In 2024, Anoka Family Caregiver Connection has been able to offer group respite with the Gathering for a client who was ineligible for the service in 2023. The caregiver worked with their father to increase his mobility, making him eligible for group respite services now. The family caregiver is experiencing high stress levels due to being the primary caregiver to their father, as well as strained family dynamics. Anoka Family Caregiver Connection and The Gathering volunteers have offered respite to help prevent caregiver burnout. After the first session, the caregiver expressed relief as their father enjoyed group respite. The family caregiver has been able to utilize the respite time for their own self-care activities as well as having some time to rest. They report feeling less stressed and more confident of their ability to keep their father at home longer. Over the first quarter, I have witnessed their father become more engaged and animated as he has more opportunities to socialize and has a sense of community. The family caregiver is also feeling more comfortable in the communities of the group respite sites.

If you would like more information about the Anoka County Family Caregiver Connection (ACFCC), please visit their website: https://www.anokacountymn.gov/655/Family-Caregiver-Connection. If you know someone who may need this kind of assistance or if you would like to volunteer for The Gathering, please get in touch with Jill Thomas (ACFCC) at 763-324-1608 or Pastor Sue Wallager at 763-421-4556.