News Photo by Mike Gonzalez Brooke Mainville, special projects coordinator of the Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency, poses on Friday in front of the company sign in the main lobby of the NEMCSA building off of U.S.-23 South.

ALPENA — Anyone can end up having to take care of someone with health issues or mental impairments — and it can happen suddenly.

“A lot of caregivers, they’re just thrown into it,” said Brooke Mainville, special project coordinator at the Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency. “It may be because it’s their significant other or a loved one in the family. So a lot of caregivers don’t know what to do in some of these positions.”

NEMCSA’s Region 9 Agency for Aging said in a news release Michigan has about 1 million informal family caregivers, and it’s common to see frustration, loneliness, and a lack of self care among that group.

That’s why the agency provides support to individuals who take on that responsibility. NEMCSA offers virtual workshops and programs free to anyone who struggles with their own health.

“There is a six-week, evidence-based workshop that’s coming up,” Mainville said. “It teaches caregivers about how to deal with difficult emotions that come up with caregiving, such as grief and loss and depression. Because, when you’re caring for someone with dementia, it’s a long process. And then you’re not only losing the person in that one moment, you’re losing them throughout that whole process.”

Mainville said family caregiving can vary from person to person. She said some might live with the person in the home or the caregiver might be a neighbor across the street or work long-distance.

“You’re still caregiving through virtual things,” Mainville said. “A lot of children get up and leave, but there’s things that they can do to still help their parents. They can order their groceries online for them so that they can pick them up or have them delivered.”

When family members are thrown into the position of caregiver, they often don’t know what that means or how to deal with certain aspects of mental impairments, Mainville said.

As an example, Mainville said, someone with dementia may repeat questions. NEMCSA provides education to caregivers so they can understand such behaviors and problem-solve.

“If your person is asking you why, what time is dinner, and you’re making dinner, that’s probably because they’re hungry,” Mainville said. “If you give them a snack, they’re not going to ask you that question all the time, because their need is fulfilled.”

The first dementia-related webinar of the month runs from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday

To register for the event, contact Mainville at 989-358-4616 or mainvilleb@nemcsa.org.