Building bridges: Gina McCulloch's volunteer journey

April 14 – 20, 2024, is National Volunteer Week and the theme is “Every moment matters.” As an organization that was started by volunteers, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. is proud to celebrate every volunteer and their unique contribution to improve the lives of people on the dementia journey. With the number of British Columbians living with dementia rising, we need the support of volunteers like Gina more than ever. 

When Gina McCulloch started volunteering with the Alzheimer Society of B.C. as a support group facilitator, she understood the needs of caregivers well. Gina cared for her mother for 15 years. For the first decade, Gina had little guidance to help her navigate the dementia journey.

“The problems were new and overwhelming,” Gina says. “My husband and I were worried about my mother’s safety. We had little understanding of how to navigate the health-care system and no knowledge of respite care or home support services that could have been available to us.

Gina and her husband retired early and moved into her mother’s basement to take care of her. It wasn’t until years later, after her mother suffered a heart attack and moved into long-term care, that Gina connected with us.

“The Alzheimer Society of B.C. provided me with skills and knowledge to better meet my mother's needs, as well as my own,” Gina says. “We would not have progressed through the last five years of my mother’s life as well as we did without the support I received. After my mother passed, I knew I wanted to help caregivers who were still on the journey.”

Gina’s role as a volunteer caregiver support group facilitator is to create a safe space for caregivers, so they feel comfortable sharing their experience and asking questions. The group members are a source of knowledge and support for each other.

“It’s a privilege to share what they’re going through,” Gina says. “The caregivers in our group are navigating the ups and downs of caring for a partner; it’s a journey I know very well.”

Volunteering as a support group facilitator is not always easy. Facilitators regularly hear about challenges that caregivers face, such as stigma surrounding the disease, a lack of education and limited support and resources to help them and their care partners. They see that all too often, caregivers neglect their own well-being to care for their parents, partners and friends.

“I wish I could do more,” Gina says. “Because I know how difficult the journey can be, the gaps in our system are always in the back of my mind.”

If Gina needs to process anything she’s heard in a meeting or if there are questions that can’t be answered by herself or another group member, Gina contacts Avalon Tournier, a Support and Education Coordinator in the South Fraser region.

“Gina is compassionate, empathetic and knowledgeable,” Avalon says. “She has excellent facilitation skills and provides the group members with strategies that help them cope when they’re struggling. We’re lucky to have her.”

Gina’s ability to create a warm, safe space for caregivers helps the group stay connected when difficult topics arise. Despite the challenges, Gina is exuberant about the many benefits of volunteering as a support group facilitator.

“It is heartwarming to see the care group members show for one another,” Gina says. “Every month, I bear witness to people who, despite their deep struggles, hold each other up. I often sit there in amazement.”

The need for support group facilitators in B.C. is great and will continue to grow in the coming years. The Society is grateful for volunteers like Gina, who help ensure support is available.

“Support groups are a critical service for caregivers of people living with dementia,” Gina says. “Volunteering my time as a support group facilitator makes me feel like I am part of something that helps people. There is so much negativity in the world, but in the support groups, I see an incredible amount of compassion. It’s rewarding.”