Caregivers of those with dementia need to have their own support group meetings or gatherings because they need to vent, share, learn tips and resources, and receive support from others walking the same path. There are many caregiver-only support groups in Northern California for those dealing with dementia. Most of the attendees are coping with Alzheimer's Disease but you may find some groups where the attendees are coping with dementia in the context of Parkinson's disease.
With the pandemic, many support groups have moved to meet virtually while others have gone on hiatus until in-person meetings can occur once again. Some groups have expanded the number of virtual meetings to provide more support. Most virtual meetings are using video. Of course you’ll need to contact the group leader for information on joining the meeting. Most likely, groups will restrict attendees to the local area.
Alameda County | Contra Costa | Marin County | San Francisco | San Mateo | Santa Clara | Solano County | Sonoma County |
Alameda
Virtual meetings via phone or video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
Thursdays, 10-11:30am
Albany
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Tuesday, 6:15pm-7:45pm
Berkeley
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Wednesday, 7-9pm
Fremont
Group contact: Heather Gray, Alzheimer's Association, heather.gray@alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
Livermore
Virtual meetings via phone or video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Wednesday, noon-1:30pm
Oakland
Group contact and facilitator: LoWanda Moore, MSW, Kaiser Permanente, 510-752-7682
Currently on hiatus
Oakland – Spouse/Partner Dementia Caregivers Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Tuesday, 10:30am-noon
Oakland – African-American Dementia Caregivers Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Friday, 11:30am-1pm
Oakland – Non-Spouse Family Members Dementia Caregivers Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Thursday, 10:30am-noon
San Leandro
Virtual meetings via phone or video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Monday, 7-9pm
Union City
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Monday, 6-7:30pm
Antioch
Group contact and facilitator: Heather Gray, Alzheimer's Association, heather.gray@alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
Brentwood
Virtual meetings via phone or video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Thursday, 7-8:30pm
Concord - En Español, Spanish-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
La Clinica de la Raza, 200 Sierra Road, Concord CA 94518, 925-363-2000
Currently on hiatus
Lafayette
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Monday, 1-3pm
Lafayette
Group contact: Dori Sproul, Alzheimer's Association, dsproul@alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
Martinez
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Tuesday, 2:30-4pm
Pleasant Hill
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Wednesday, 3-4:30pm
Richmond
Virtual meetings via phone
Group contact and facilitator: Deborah Janke, deborahpricejanke@att.net, 925-228-3999
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
Last Wednesday, 2-4pm
San Ramon
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Monday, 7-9pm
Walnut Creek
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Tuesday, 10:30am-12:30pm
Marin - Perpetual Dementia Caregiver Support Group (this support group will continue meeting virtually, even after Covid)
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Thursday, 6-7:30pm
Novato
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Wednesday, 10am-noon
San Rafael
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Jen Tripathy, Senior Access of Marin, jennifert@jfcs.org, 415-491-2500 ext. 140
1st & 3rd Thursday, 11am-12:30pm
San Rafael - Wives Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Tuesday & 3rd Thursday, 10am-noon
San Rafael - Husbands Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Wednesday, 12:30-2pm
San Rafael - Adult Children Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Wednesday, 6-8pm
Sausalito
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Saturday, 10-11:30am
San Francisco
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Saturday, 10:30am-noon
San Francisco
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Tuesday, 11am-12:30pm
San Francisco - Cantonese-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Xiaorong Ou, 408-372-9926, xou@alz.org, tinyurl.com/2020onlinechineseseed
Group facilitator: Kelvin Yu
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Wednesday, 5-6:30pm
San Francisco - LGBTQ Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Ariel Mellinger, Director of Wellness Services for Openhours, Ariel@openhousse-sf.org, 415-503-4180
4th Wednesday, 6-7:30pm
Burlingame
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Wednesday, 7-9pm
Half Moon Bay
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Wednesday, 12:30-2pm
Half Moon Bay - General Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via Zoom
Contact the group facilitator to obtain the Zoom invitation and be put on the group's reminder email list.
Group contact and facilitator: Lynne Siracusa, 650-726-5067
Last Wednesday, 12:30-1:30pm
Menlo Park
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Yolanda Chavez or Dao Do, 650-322-0126
Group facilitator: Dao Do and group members
Every Thursday, 1-2:30pm
Redwood City
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Tuesday, 1-2:30pm
Redwood City
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Thursday, 6-7:30pm
San Carlos
Virtual meetings via Zoom
Group contact: Carmen Santoni, San Mateo County Adult Day Services, csantoni@catholiccharitiessf.org, 650-592-9325
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Tuesday, 1-2:30pm
San Mateo
Group contact: Heather Gray, Alzheimer's Association, heather.gray alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
South San Francisco
Virtual meetings via phone and Zoom
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st & 3rd Fridays, 10-11:30am
Cupertino
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact and facilitator: Charlie Neimeyer, liveoakcharlie@hotmail.com, 408-973-0905
3rd Thursday, 3-4:30pm
Los Gatos
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Tuesday, 1:30-3pm
Los Gatos
Group contact: Cindy Weinberg, cindy@shirhadash.org
Currently on hiatus
Morgan Hill
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Monday, 12-1:30pm
Mountain View
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
1st Thursday, 4:30-6:30pm
Palo Alto - General Caregiver Support Group
Group contact: Paula Wolfson, LCSW, Avenidas Care Partners, 650-289-5438
Currently on hiatus
San Jose
Virtual meetings via phone or video
Group contact and facilitator: Leeandra Dowell, LCSW Kaiser Permanente, 408-362-3691
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Monday, 5:30-7pm
San Jose
Virtual meetings via video
Groups run in 8-week sessions. Call for meeting dates. Advance registration is required.
Group contact: Ayumi Eddins, Japanese American Community Senior Center, akodama@yuaikai.org, 408-294-2505 x36
Group facilitator: Wesley Mukoyama, LCSW
Tuesdays, 10-11:30am
San Jose - Chinese-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Group contact and facilitator: Peining Chang, MSW, ASW, Alzheimer's Association, pchang alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
San Jose - Japanese-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact and facilitator: Emi Nagai, Japanese American Community Senior Center, enagai@yuaikai.org, 408-294-2505 x36
Irregular monthly meetings, Wednesday, 10-11:30am
San Jose / Evergreen
Group contact: Milton Cadena, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, mcadena@catholiccharitiesscc.org, 408-325-5237
Group facilitator: Nancy Tamburello, Adult Day Care Program Supervisor, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, 408-270-4900
Currently on hiatus
Santa Clara
Virtual meetings via phone
Group contact: Grace Lee, 408-520-6904
Group facilitator: Erica J. Erney, LCSW, Kaiser Permanente, 408-530-6906
2nd Tuesday, 7-8:30pm
Santa Clara
Virtual meetings via phone
Group contact and facilitator: Erica J. Erney, LCSW, Kaiser Permanente, 408-530-6906
3rd Tuesday, 10:30am-noon
Santa Cruz
Virtual meetings via phone
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Wednesday, 2-3:30pm
Santa Cruz
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
3rd Wednesday, 5:30-7pm
Scotts Valley
Virtual meetings via Zoom
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Saturday, 10:30am-noon
Sunnyvale
Virtual meetings via phone and video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Tuesday, 11:30am-1pm
Sunnyvale - Mandarin-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact and facilitator: Xiaorong Ou, 408-372-9926, xou@alz.org, tinyurl.com/2020onlinechineseed
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Thursday, 6:30-8pm
Sunnyvale - Mandarin-speaking Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Group contact: Milton Cadena, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, mcadena@catholiccharitiesscc.org, 408-325-5237
Group facilitator: Ching-Ming Hsueh, Adult Day Care Program Supervisor, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, 408-282-1134
Currently on hiatus
Sunnyvale
Group contact: Milton Cadena, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, mcadena@catholiccharitiesscc.org, 408-325-5237
Group facilitator: Ginger McClure, Adult Day Care Program Supervisor, gmcclure@catholiccharitiesscc.org, 408-530-8734
Currently on hiatus
Fairfield
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
4th Thursday, 9-10:30am
Rio Vista
Currently on hiatus
Group contact: Heather Gray, Alzheimer's Association, heather.gray@alz.org, 800-272-3900
Currently on hiatus
Vacaville
Virtual meetings via video
Register to join the group by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or at communityresourcefinder.org (click on "Programs and Events")
2nd Wednesday, 7-9pm
Napa
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
3rd Wednesday, 5:30-7pm
Santa Rosa
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
Currently on hiatus
Santa Rosa - Adult Children Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
3rd Tuesday, 6-7:30pm
Santa Rosa
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
1st & 3rd Thursday, 10-11:30am
Sonoma
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
4th Tuesday, 12:30-2pm
St. Helena
Virtual meetings via video
Group contact: Lauren Hibdon, MS, Alzheimer's Association, lhibdon@alz.org, 707-573-1210
1st & 3rd Thursday, 3-4:30pm
