Caregivers are often called “the invisible workforce.” They manage medications, appointments, meals, finances, and moments of uncertainty often while balancing jobs, families, and their own health. While caregiving is rooted in love, it can also be isolating, exhausting, and overwhelming.
At Senior Resources of West Michigan, supporting caregivers is central to our mission. Every day, staff and volunteers work to ensure caregivers know they are not alone and that help is available.
Fran’s Caregiving Story: The Moment She Asked for Help
When life changes unexpectedly, finding the right support can make all the difference. For Fran, the turning point came in a parking lot after she took her husband, Dan, to a simple haircut appointment.
“I was so worn down,” Fran recalls. “I had just physically struggled so hard to get my husband in and out of the car. Even with him using his walker, it was so difficult. After his haircut, I started to pull out of the parking lot and just stopped. That’s when I made the call to Senior Resources and spoke with an options counselor. I said, ‘I need help.”
That call led Fran to the Tanglewood Park Caregiver Support Group—a lifeline during one of life’s most challenging seasons. “I came to my first meeting the very next day,” she shares. “I’ve been coming regularly ever since.”
For more than 22 years, Fran managed alone, caring for her husband, Dan, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and severe osteoarthritis. “As he started to lose more mobility and eventually could no longer walk, you can truly become a danger to yourself,” she explains. Eventually, the couple made the difficult decision to move him into assisted living. “Now Dan gets more help than I could give him, and he’s adjusted well. I visit him every day.”
The support group has been transformative. “I learned better ways to respond and communicate with him,” Fran says. “There’s a lot of self-healing involved in this process. You must be strong enough to know you need help and ask for it.”
For Fran, the group is more than a meeting, it’s a community. “Your neighbors, your family, your friends, they can all be your support staff. But the people in my group? They understand exactly what I’m going through, and there’s no place for judgment in our group, only real help.”
Yesterday was Dan’s birthday. He didn’t remember, but that’s part of the journey. “I try to see him for one meal every day,” Fran adds. “In my mind, I know that I have my support group so I can be here and be present for him. Taking that time for myself, to share with my support group what’s really going on, that’s what makes the difference and makes this support so meaningful.”
Fran’s experience reflects what many caregivers face: years of devotion, increasing physical and emotional demands, and the realization that caregiving cannot be sustained alone. Her story also highlights an important truth, that asking for help is not a failure, but a turning point.
How Senior Resources Supports Caregivers
Senior Resources of West Michigan offers a range of services designed to support caregivers at every stage of their journey. Whether someone is just beginning to navigate caregiving or has been doing so for years, help is available.
Caregiver Support Groups are offered throughout Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties, providing safe, confidential spaces to share experiences, learn coping strategies, and build meaningful connections.
Support Group Locations
- Grand Haven — Thursdays, 1:00–2:30 p.m. | Four Points Center for Successful Aging
- Muskegon — Wednesdays, 1:00–2:30 p.m. | Tanglewood Park
- Jenison — 3rd Fridays, 12:30–2:00 p.m. | GT Connections Senior Center
- Hart — 3rd Wednesdays, 10:00–11:30 a.m. | Oceana County Council on Aging
- Whitehall — Tuesdays, 1:00–2:30 p.m. | White Lake Community Library
Caregivers also have access to:
- One-on-one options counseling
- Education and referrals for respite and in-home supports
- The bi-monthly Caregiver Link newsletter
A New Statewide Resource: MI Caregiver Connection
Caregivers now have access to an additional tool designed to make finding help easier.
MI Caregiver Connection is a free, statewide online hub that was developed by the Michigan Area Agencies on Aging to create a place to connect caregivers to local services such as support groups, respite care, education, assistive technology, and home-safety assessments.
To learn more, visit www.micaregiverconnection.com or visit https://seniorresourceswmi.org/caregivers/ to learn more about your local Caregiving resources.
Supporting Those Who Give So Much
At Senior Resources of West Michigan, supporting caregivers means strengthening families and communities. When caregivers are supported, they are better able to continue caring for the people they love, and no one should have to face the journey alone. Reach out, we’re here to help. 231-733-3585
