Hello, My sister and I are thinkinking of starting an online support group for people touched by alzheimer's disease. I am a nurse and my sister has worked in mental health for over 20 years. Our mother has Alzheimer's disease and we both have read a million books about the disease. I have many opportunity to attend seminars and other learning experiences r/t to alzheimers.
We would like to write a weekly story, either about our personal experiences or other information about the disease. We would like people to beable to respond to the story. Also, we would like to provide the opportunity for others to tell their story. We would like to include a spot where people can connect with others.
And of course, we would like to make a profit from advertisers who advertise on the site, not from the members looking for support and information.
Any ideas, resources, or suggestions on how to do this would be appreciated.
Thanks for your help
Well, it all sounds interesting to a point.
The thing is - there are quite a few support groups already in place that are free, and when free support is available, you are going to have a hard time selling what ever it is you've got to offer.
For example (and there are many more besides these):
http://www.alz.org
http://www.alzheimersdisease.com
Chesapeake is right. There are already alot of free support sites out there, because most people effected by Alzheimers disease want to share the information so that others do not have to go through it alone. You and your sister have been in the professional sphere working with many individuals who have been effected by this disease, to me personally it seems unethical for you to want to create something that helps people for a profit. I know that putting something like this together would take alot of time and effort...have you guys considered perhaps instead of creating an online support group you guys could co-author a book about your experiences.
My grandmother died of Alzheimers, it was such a sad thing to watch.
There is so much free support out there tho, I dont think you can make a profit unless you guys collaborate and write your own book and hope that it sells.
I would look into groups that are already out there that may need help.
My mom died of Altzheimers in January. What I wish there was would be a support groups for those that don't "need" support. It was so hard on my brother and I because we were his support, he refused to go the groups.
Hi L., long time since I have been on. Took the semester off from nursing school due to the death of my brother. Send me your phone number again or call me. What is up with the Alzheimer's and your mom? When was she diagnosed? OMG we have to talk, you do realize my daughter works on an Alzheimer's unit right? Both of us can put you in touch with people to help you do all this. Our facility is awesome!!!
Not sure how to respond to your question, but it would be great to find support for my FIL. My MIL has it he is getting beat up emotionally. He just looks so run down lately. He just doesn't know what to do anymore and we can't get him to go to the local meetings. No matter what he does lately he is the wrong one. He used to be the fun one, always cracking jokes and laughing and now he just sits there and doesn't say much or when he does talk he is kind of rude. I have looked everywhere to get him help but it just seems to be a dead end road. We are afraid that her disease is slowly killing him. Any help would be great.
