Memphis families caring for a relative with dementia can start with local support groups and a free 24/7 helpline for practical guidance and a place to talk. This page lists real caregiver support resources in Memphis, beginning with the Alzheimer's Association Tennessee Chapter Memphis Office, and explains what a support group typically offers. For a wider view of local care options, visit our Memphis dementia care hub.
What a Dementia Caregiver Support Group Offers
A dementia caregiver support group offers a facilitated meeting where family members can talk about daily caregiving, share practical strategies, and hear from others who are also supporting someone whose memory, thinking, and daily function are changing. Groups are usually peer-based rather than clinical appointments. They are not a diagnosis visit and they do not replace medical care.
Dementia can impair memory, thinking, and the ability to manage everyday activities. The CDC describes how dementia affects memory, thinking, and daily function. A well-run group helps caregivers name those changes, swap ideas for routines and safety, and reduce isolation. Many groups also point families toward respite, legal planning, and in-home help without pressuring anyone to make a decision on the spot.
Ask the facilitator how the group is structured. Some meetings are for family caregivers only. Others welcome people living with dementia. Some are diagnosis-specific, such as Alzheimer's disease, and some are open to all-cause dementia. Confirm whether meetings are in person, by phone, or online, and whether you need to register.
Alzheimer's Association Tennessee Chapter Memphis Office
The Alzheimer's Association Tennessee Chapter Memphis Office provides free 24/7 helpline support, support groups, care planning, and family care conferences for people living with dementia and their caregivers in the Memphis and West Tennessee region. It is the named local chapter resource families in Memphis can contact first when they want a group or a care-planning conversation.
The Memphis office is at 1661 International Drive, Suite 400, Memphis, TN 38120. Call 800-272-3900 to ask about current support group times, meeting formats, and whether a group meets near your neighborhood or only online. Do not assume every group meets at the International Drive office. Staff can also help with care planning and family care conferences, which are useful when siblings or other relatives need a shared picture of what daily care involves.
Bring a short list of questions to your first call: who the group is for, how often it meets, whether it is drop-in, and whether it is focused on early-stage, middle-stage, or mixed caregiving. If you are searching after a new diagnosis, say so. If you are searching after a hospital stay, say that too, so staff can point you to the right type of meeting.
24/7 Helpline Support for Memphis Caregivers
Memphis caregivers can call the Alzheimer's Association helpline at 800-272-3900 any time of day for free support, information, and help locating groups. The same number is listed for the Memphis office and is the practical after-hours option when a meeting is not in session.
Use the helpline when you need a calm voice during a hard evening, when you are trying to find a group that fits your schedule, or when you want to prepare for a family care conference. Have the person's age, living situation, and main daily challenges ready, such as wandering, missed medications, or trouble with bathing. The helpline can listen and help you plan next steps. It does not diagnose dementia or tell you which medication to use.
How Support Groups Work With In-Home Care
Support groups work best for many Memphis families when they are paired with in-home help, so the primary caregiver can attend a meeting without leaving a loved one unsupervised. A group can restore perspective. It cannot sit with someone who is unsafe alone.
The National Institute on Aging explains that long-term care includes services that help people meet health or personal care needs when they can no longer perform everyday activities on their own. Read the NIA overview of what long-term care includes. In practical terms, that often means scheduled help at home while you go to a group, run errands, or sleep.
Families often start with companion care for supervision and conversation during a meeting, or respite care for a longer break. If personal tasks such as bathing, dressing, or toileting are the barrier, personal care can cover those hours. When memory changes make familiar rooms confusing, memory care at home focuses on routines and safety in the house. Some households later add 24-hour live-in care if overnight supervision becomes necessary. None of these options replaces a support group. They make it possible to keep going to one.