Cornerstone VNA is pleased to announce that their monthly Caregiver Cafés have returned to meeting in person once again. The Caregiver Cafés are a collaborative effort between Cornerstone VNA and four local libraries in Farmington, Newington, Dover, and Strafford. Family caregivers and their loved ones are invited to attend for an hour of support, conversation, and education.

In the Spring of 2020, the Caregiver Cafés transitioned to a virtual format, keeping local family caregivers connected and supported throughout the pandemic.  The monthly virtual Caregiver Café provided a sense of camaraderie, particularly during a time of tremendous isolation to an already extremely isolated sector of the community. In the words of a virtual caregiver attendee, “I always feel less alone after one of our café sessions.”

Janice Howard, Cornerstone VNA Life Care-Private Duty Director states, “it is so important for caregivers to meet socially to share and validate their experience in their journey caring for a loved one or a friend. We are so happy to announce a return to face-to-face Caregiver Cafés to better support the caregivers of our communities.”

The Goodwin Library in Farmington was the first Caregiver Café that launched in 2017 and now meets on the third Friday of each month at 1:00pm. However, due to Veteran’s Day, the next meeting will be held on November 18 at 1:00pm. The Langdon Library in Newington was the second Caregiver Café location established prior to COVID-19 and has now resumed meeting in person on the third Thursday of each month. The next meeting is on November 17 at 10:30am.

The newest additions to the Caregiver Cafés are the Dover Public Library in Dover, which will be meeting each third Wednesday of the month. The next meeting is on November 16 at 10:30am. Joining Dover with a new café is Hill Library in Strafford. Their café meets on the second Wednesday of each month, with the next meeting being held on December 14 at 10:30am.

Complete details and any changes due to holidays or weather can be found at www.cornerstonevna.org/calendar. Cornerstone VNA, in collaboration with these generous local libraries, is honored to provide a gathering spot for support and comradery for caregivers. If you are caring for a loved one or know someone who is, please attend. All family caregivers are welcome, and no RSVP is required.

Cornerstone VNA currently serves Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap, and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty, and Community Care. For 109 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses, or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133.