A new Fishers Health Dept. program is designed to help the department better approach its goal of addressing public health issues.
Mental Health Program Coordinator Renee Thomas said her position and a caregiver support group are new additions to the department. She said the caregiver support group will help address mental health needs in the community.
“We started conducting a community health needs assessment, and our findings showed residents need social connectedness and networking for support,” said Thomas, a Fishers resident. “That’s how we formed the caregiver support group.”
The caregiver support group meets from 5 to 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at the Nickel Plate District Pavilion, just north of the amphitheater at 6 Muncipal Dr. The group is designed for caregivers to connect with each other, talk about their challenges and share experiences.
“A caregiver is someone that cares for another individual, whether it be a special needs child or elderly parent,” Thomas said.
The group held its first meeting in February, and approximately 25 people attended. Thomas said attendance varies each month.
“As a caregiver, you’re super busy, so we are looking at doing additional things to draw more people in,” she said. “It is definitely challenging being a caregiver. We are trying techniques to look at the whole individual mentally.”
The group is free to attend. For more, visit fishers.in.us/1154/Fishers-Health-Department.
