Understanding the Benefits of a Dysphagia Support Group – And Why You Should Consider Starting Your Own (2023)

Dysphagia can have significant impacts on our patients and their caregivers, leading to reduced health-related quality of life, caregiver burden and third-party disability. Support groups are effective in improving quality of life in a range of conditions, through allowing individuals to form connections with those with shared experiences and sharing and learning about relevant resources and coping skills. However, there is little support like this provided in Canada for patients with dysphagia and their caregivers. This webinar delves into the research focused on dysphagia-related quality of life and caregiver burden, as well as the benefits of support groups. The purposes and goals of support groups are outlined, and there are tips for starting your own support group. Experiences from developing and maintaining the Canadian Dysphagia Support Group are shared.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• list three benefits of support groups;
• outline the purposes of support groups; and
• discuss how to start a new support group.