Gifford launching Caregiver Support Group

Gifford Medical Center is launching a Caregiver Support Group this November. Open to anyone caring for a family member or loved one, the group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon in the Randolph hospital’s Conference Center.

The group is participant-driven with members deciding how the meetings will be designed, choosing a facilitator and picking discussion topics. Samantha Medved, a licensed social worker and behavioral health specialist at Gifford, will also work with the group, providing ongoing support.

“Caregivers invest so much of themselves – both physically and mentally – into caring for others. This group is an opportunity to have time away to deal with the normal range of emotions all caregivers experience, by gaining support from peers experiencing similar issues,” Medved said.

The group is offered as part of Gifford’s efforts through the Vermont Blueprint for Health. No registration is required. Medved and the Blueprint team can be reached at 728-7100, ext. 6, with any questions.

The Gifford Conference Center is in the main medical center at 44 S. Main St. (Route 12) in Randolph. From patient parking, the Conference Center entrance is marked with a green awning. For handicapped accessibility, take the elevator from the main lobby to the first floor and follow signs to the Conference Center.

Caregiver Support Group

Home caregivers are invited to share concerns and learn how to take time for themselves, second Tuesday of each month, 11 a.m. to noon, Gifford Medical Center, Conference Center, 44 S. Main St., Randolph, free, (802) 728-7100, ext. 6. 

Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, Vt., is a community hospital with family health centers in Bethel, Chelsea and Rochester and specialty services throughout central Vermont. Named a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, inpatient and rehabilitation units, many surgical services, an accredited cancer program, a day care, an adult day care and a 30-bed nursing home, the Menig Extended Care Facility, which was named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best 39 nursing homes in the country in 2012. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to the traditional hospital-based deliveries and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. The cancer program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

The hospital’s mission is to improve individuals’ and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable and high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.