Support group facilitator for Chinese community reflects on volunteering

This National Volunteer Week, we join organizations across Canada to applaud the volunteers who enable us to organize events and provide support to people affected by dementia. From April 25-30, read stories shared by volunteers, Society staff and clients that celebrate the positive impact volunteers have on our communities.

After Shirley Tam’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, Shirley decided to join a support group for caregivers. While attending the group, she connected with volunteer facilitators and program participants who shared her experiences and frustrations and realized how important a support group can be for people affected by dementia. “As a participant, it gave me a lot of reassurance to have somewhere I could turn to,” Shirley says.

In 2019, Shirley decided to help others on their dementia journey by volunteering as a support group facilitator at the Alzheimer Society of B.C. She has been instrumental in supporting the Society’s efforts to provide culturally accessible support groups in Cantonese for the Chinese community.

Like many volunteers who support the Society, as Shirley became more experienced in the role, she took on new challenges and responsibilities. She now facilitates several groups, both online and in-person.

“It’s really great to watch the participants empower each other,” Shirley says. “Seeing new members transform and grow in confidence is extremely rewarding.”

It is the role of a support group facilitator to create a safe space for participants to share, learn and grow and, as Shirley explains, facilitators learn to trust that each person has the strength and resilience to get through the changes they’re experiencing. “All we need to do as a support group is nurture an environment where everyone feels safe to share and can be certain they will be heard.”

“It really is a privilege for me to go through the ups and downs and share raw emotions with caregivers,” Shirley adds. “I’m grateful to witness each person’s growth and to be a part of their dementia journeys.”

For many volunteers at the Society, lived experience as a caregiver has helped them develop empathy, patience and understanding – traits that combine to make passionate and thoughtful support group facilitators. While a volunteer’s road to a role at the Society may have been challenging, we are grateful that they continue to others on their dementia journey.

Thank you to all volunteers like Shirley who work with us, both virtually and in-person. Our collective efforts demonstrate that we can make a difference when we work together. With your help, we can build a dementia-friendly B.C.