Family Support Group meets monthly to provide emotional support and information to families and caregivers. This lessens the affected families’ feelings of isolation and enables them to better care for their loved one, through interaction with others who have had similar problems and experiences. By ‘sharing the load’, we lessen the likelihood of familial breakdown as a by-product of mental illness.
Daily Support Services through an ‘Open Door’ policy where families can receive support and assistance from a knowledgeable staff also helps to strengthen the family and enable them to participate effectively in society, rather than becoming overwhelmed by the magnitude of the changes they face.
Many families are the sole caregivers for those suffering from mental illness, and often have little or no outside support. This results in severe anxiety and burnout. We have found that by assisting the consumers, we are frequently able to provide family members with much needed respite.
Courage Newsletter is a monthly publication that provides up-to-date information on local, provincial, and national events and issues to consumers, family members, and interested members of both the mental health community and the general public.
Library with books and videos available for loan allows family members to remain educated about schizophrenia and other related mental illnesses.