Support groups provide a forum for family members and caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease to share feelings, concerns and information, and to support each other in coping with the effects of the disease or a related disorder. Groups vary in size and frequency of meeting. Call the group leaders listed below for additional information.
Groups are open to the public. Many day programs and nursing homes also offer groups open to the families of their patients. Support groups are independently run and this listing should not be construed as a recommendation.
Basic Training for New Support Group Leaders
The Alzheimer's Association is pleased to offer workshops for new leaders of Alzheimer's support groups. Each workshop is designed to cover information about starting and leading an Alzheimer support group, and features our Support Group Leaders' Manual. For more information, call 800.272.3900.
| Morning Groups | Afternoon Groups | Evening Groups |
Support Groups for People with Early Stage Alzheimer's and Their Caregivers
| City | Facilitator | Phone |
| Beverly | Beth Desrochers | 978.921.1697 x254 |
| Brockton | Susan Sheehan | 508.521.1626 |
| Concord |
Carol Steiner |
978.264.9643 978.318.0046 |
| Dartmouth | Peter Ham | 508.997.0794 |
| or Maureen Hebert | 401.438.0008 | |
| Duxbury | Donna Ciappina | 781.934.5774 |
| Milton | Linda Smith | 781.828.7450 |
| Natick | Gary Davis | 508.393.2368 x241 |
| Palmer | Ginny Sinkoski | 413.787.1113 |
| Watertown | Dr. Paul Raia | 617.868.6718 x2014 |
| Westboro | Aimee Rizzo | 508.366.9933 x3706 |
| Worcester | Nicole McGurin | 617.393.2005 |
People under 65-Early Stage & Early Onset Alzheimer's and their Caregivers
| Watertown | Susan Rowlett | 617.868.6718 x2049 |
Caregiver and Specialized Caregiver Groups
African American Caregivers Support Group
| Roxbury | Michael Kincade | 617.868.6718 |
Caregivers of Individuals with Down's Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease
| Milton | Ann Gillis | 617.696.4720 |
Frontal temporal lobe Dementia Group
| Newton | 866.507.7222 |
Interfaith Support Group
| Springfield | Marcia McKenzie | 413.787.1113 |
Lewy Body Disease Group
| Boston | Victoria Ruff | 617.710.0136 |
Men's Caregiver Support Group
| Dorchester | David Nawrocki | 508.224.1728 |
Portuguese-Speaking Caregivers Support Group
| Peabody | Grace Martins | 978.977.0717 |
Caregiver Groups by City or Town (please note that some cities have multiple groups)
| City | Facilitator | Phone |
| Acton | Judy Ramirez | 978.399.2325 |
| Acushnet | Pat Midurski | 508.996.0368 |
| Agawam | Susan Brooks | 413.821.9911 |
| Amesbury | Patricia Lavoie | 978.290.1797 |
| Andover | Kristine Arakelian | 978.623.8321 |
| Andover | Sara Efstathiou-Santiago | 978.475.4225 |
| Arlington | Michelle Pellegrine | 781.641.1070 |
|
Arlington |
Marian R. Weisenfeld | 781.641.3083 |
|---|---|---|
| Athol | Wandra Landry | 978.249.3717 |
| Attleboro | Barbara Harrison | 508.222.6655 |
| Attleboro | Michelle Hallock | 508.222.4950 |
| Belmont | Nava Niv-Vogel | 617.484.5501 |
| Beverly | Linda Goddard | 978.922.3622 |
| Beverly | Pam Taylor | 978.921.5020 |
| BOSTON | ||
| Downtown | Barbara Hawley Maxam | 617.724.0055 |
| or Maureen Tardelli | 781.391.7878 | |
| Dorchester | Donna Allen | 617.825.5000 |
| Jamaica Plain | Iona Russell or Brad Burkart | 617.731.2400 |
| Jamaica Plain | Susan Kelley | 781.662.2273 |
| West Roxbury | Susan O'Connell | 617.325.1230x253 |
| West Roxbury | Ruth Nasman | 617.325.9447 |
| Braintree | Ailsa LaCoste | 781.843.1860 |
| Bridgewater | Kathy Hayes | 508.697.0929 |
| Brockton | Nancy Bresciani | 508.583.2517 |
| Brookline | December Heffernan | 617.730.2753 |
| Brookline | Susan Kanian-Andriole | 617.730.2754 |
| Burlington | Stacey Kohler | 781.744.8114 |
| Burlington | Joanne Fitzpatrick | 781.273.7010 |
| Burlington | Barbara Ryan | 781.270.4946 |
| Cambridge | Mollie Gadarowski | 617.547.7836 |
| Cambridge | Liz Olson | 617.491.1815 |
| Cambridge | Liz Olson | 617.491.1815 |
| Chelmsford | Patty Keane | 978.251.8491 |
| Chicopee | Susan Brooks | 413.821.9911 |
| Concord | Patricia Oliphant | 978.318.0046 |
| or Mary Baum | 978.369.4728 | |
| Concord | Martha Douty-Perez | 978.369.6889 |
| Danvers | Gwen Kopka | 978.750.4540 |
| Danvers | Janice Wyner | 978.750.4540 |
| Dedham | Denise Hughes | 781.329.1520 |
| Duxbury | Sandra Wright | 781.585.2397 |
| Fairhaven | Pamela Bailey | 508.997.3193 |
|
Fall River |
Michelle Jussaume | 508.675.2101x325 |
| Fitchburg | Harriet Klayman | 978.353.7216 |
| Fitchburg | Judy Wilson | 978.342.9428 |
| Framingham | Judy Sabol | 508.788.6050 |
| or Maura Moxley | 508-872-1866x121 | |
| Framingham | Judith Chaloux | 508.875.1380 |
| Framingham | Susan Schieb |
508.879.8000 |
| Franklin | Linda Williams | 508.528.4600 |
| Gardener | Rebecca Hadmack | 978.632.1230 |
| Gloucester | Claire Phillips | 978.281.9765 |
| Great Barrington | Susan Peisner | 413.528.1881 |
| Greenfield | Lynn Marcus-Cohen | 413.773.2679 |
| Hanson | Diane McCarey | 781.293.2683 |
| Hanover | Penny Peterson | 781.659.2691 |
| Hingham | Jo Ann Mitchell | 781.749.5417 |
| Hingham | Eleanor Blair | 781.749.4774 |
| Holyoke | Sr. Ramona Sullivan | 413.532.3246 |
| Hopedale | Theresa Morese | 508.482.5995 |
| Leominster | Patricia Keating or Susan Maki | 800.734.7312 |
| Leominster | Joyce Plumb | 978.537.1661 |
| Lexington | Charlie Zoeller | 781.861.8630 |
| Lexington | Susan Moor | 781.861.9863 |
| Littleton | Gail Mallardo | 978.486.3512 |
| Longmeadow | Joseph Mancini | 413.567.6211 |
| Lowell | Maria Maskaluk | 978.458.4844 |
| Ludlow | Ginny Sinkoski | 413.787.1113 |
| Marblehead | Mary Macary Demakes | 781.639.8696 |
| Mashpee | Judy Anthony | 508.540.1906 |
| Marlboro | Michael Orlando | 508.485.4040 |
| Medford | Douglas Lloyd | 781.324.5759 |
| or Sheila Witkus |
781.395.5542 | |
|
Medford |
Alison Christopher | 781.306.6157 |
| Methuen | Kathleen Nackley | 978.682.3582 |
| Middleboro | Susan Adams | 508.946.2490 |
| Milford | Marlene Fregeau or Carol Adiletto | 508.473.0862 |
| Millbury | Gary Davis | 508.793.0088 |
|
Northbridge |
Cecelia Boatman | 508.234.6481 |
| Nantucket | Gisela MacDonald | 508.325.5358 |
| Natick | Kelly Parker | 508.655.5000x3999 |
| Needham | Mary Elizabeth Weadock |
781.449.4040 |
| Newton | Jamie Gutner | 781.258.6333 |
| Newton | Jan Champa | 781.626.1995 |
| Newton | Ann Peck | 617.332.0697 |
| Newton | Janet Pozen | 617.964.6695 |
|
Newton |
John Montgomery | 617.965.9400 |
|
Newton |
John Montgomery | 617.965.9400 |
| Norwood | Betsy Rivard | 781.769.2522 x34 |
| Norwood | Betsy Rivard | 781.769.2522 x34 |
| Northampton | Karen Buscemi | 413.582.2152 |
| North Adams | Beth Hinkley | 413.664.4536 |
| North Attleboro | Michelle Hallock | 508.222.4950 |
| Northbridge | Cecelia Boatman | 508.234.6481 |
| Peabody | Linda Smith | 978.531.2254 x137 |
| Peabody | Grace Martins or Debra Ciriello | 978.977.0717 |
| Peabody | Naomi Dreeben | 978.532.4411 |
| Pittsfield | Beth Hinkley | 413.499.1992 |
| Plymouth | Connie Croin | 508.947.4774 |
|
Plymouth |
Rochelle Sugarman | 508.584.1561x312 |
| Quincy | Wendy Wichroski | 617.471.5595 |
| Saugus | Deb Segil | 781.586.8540 |
| Sharon | Michelle Wyman | 781.784.4944 |
| Shelburne Falls | Jackie Stanford |
413.625.2502 |
| Somerset | John Rogers | 508.679.2240 |
| South Hadley | Gerri Bennett | 413.532.8098 |
| Southbridge | Roger LaMontagne | 508.765.9771 |
| Springfield | Ginny Sinkoski | 413.787.1113 |
| Stoughton | Deb Ribak | 781.297.1375 |
| Swansea | Judy Andrade or Amy Hammond | 508.379.9700 |
| Tewksbury | Paula Drelick | 978.851.3121x3200 |
| Turners Falls | Molly Chambers | 413.773.5555x237 |
| Wakefield | Dawn Edwards | 781.245.7600 |
| Waltham | Maureen Baglio | 781.314.3301 |
| Ware | Stasia Wozniak | 413.967.2225 |
| Wareham | Dianne Connelly | 508.295.1040 |
| Webster | Debra Boucher | 508.949.8455 |
| Wellesley | Peggy Mullen | 508.533.7020 |
|
Wellesley |
Donna Watson | 781.237.8877 |
|
Wellesley |
Donna Watson | 781.237.8877 |
| Westboro | Aimee Rizzo | 508.366.9933x3706 |
| Westboro | Amanda Kiruthi | 508.366.9131 |
| Westfield | Ellen Nepomuceno | 413.827.4420 |
| Weston | Shirley Earle | 781.893.0154 |
| Weston | Emily Hutcheson | 781.891.8046 |
| Weymouth | Sarah Devine | 781.337.3121 |
| Weymouth | Aldo Delvecchio or Priscilla Connors | 781.340.9100 |
| Worcester | Faith Bandama | 508.791.5543x3319 |
| Worcester | Stephenie Jackson | 508.753.4791 |
| Worcester | Patrice Fanjoy or Lisa Pontbriand | 508.752.2546 |
| Worcester | Micha Shalev | 508.853.8180 |
List last updated: 4/30/2008
For changes to this list, please contact Jeanette Rosa
