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Connecting with Others: Heart Failure Support Groups

If you or someone you know is affected by congestive heart failure, you might feel alone or overwhelmed at times. Luckily, you don't have to cope with heart failure on your own: Thousands of support groups exist to help you connect with others whose lives are impacted by heart failure.

Local Support Groups

Congestive heart failure support groups in your area can put you face-to-face with others who have similar questions and concerns about heart failure. In addition, these groups provide you with the opportunity to vent your frustrations and concerns to caring individuals.

At support groups, you can also make friends who can help you and your loved ones cope with heart disease. People discuss the challenges they've faced and the ways in which they've overcome obstacles related to heart failure.

The following organizations can help you connect to heart failure support groups in your area:

American Heart Association
Mended Hearts.

Contact your local chapter of the above-mentioned organizations to find out more about heart failure support groups in your city or town.

Finding a Congestive Heart Failure Support Group

Finding a heart failure support group in your area shouldn't be difficult. Talk to your doctor or the doctor who cares for your loved one and ask her if there are any support groups in your area. You can also go online and do a search for heart failure support groups in your city or town.

If you don't have a local congestive heart failure support group, consider starting your own. Not only will you benefit, but so too will the other individuals in your area whose lives are affected by congestive heart failure.

Online Support Groups

If your area doesn't have a local congestive heart failure support group, or if you can't make it to many of the support group meetings, you might want to consider joining an online support group.

There are thousands of online congestive heart failure support groups, each of which offers a place for members to chat about concerns, care, treatment and more. As a plus, online support groups create a forum where you can connect with people all over the world who are affected by congestive heart failure.

To find an online support group, simply run a search for "congestive heart failure support group" in your favorite search engine. From there, simply pick the online group that most appeals to you.

Special Heart-Healthy Events

In addition to joining a support group to help connect with others, you can also participate in events to bring awareness to heart health. Such events help fund research for heart disease and also unite those who are passionate about finding new treatments for heart failure. Plus, the events can be a lot of fun!

The following heart health events are sponsored by the American Heart Association:

Dear Neighbor Campaign: Volunteers send out letters and educational material and collect donations for the American Heart Association from their neighbors.
Hoops for Heart: School-aged children play basketball to raise money for heart research.
Jump Rope for Heart: Elementary school children jump rope to raise money to fund heart research.
Start! Heart Walk: As the association's signature fund-raising event, the Start! Heart Walk promotes physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun environment.

To learn more about the above-mentioned events, contact your local American Heart Association chapter.

Resources

American Heart Association (2007). Fund Raising. Retrieved June 22, 2007, from the American Heart Association Web site: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200018.

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Posted by Nancee

September 30, 2008 at 10:43 AM

I'm 53 years old and I have chf. My heart is enlarged and my pump is weakened. I was diagnosed with chf earlier this year. It's hard to explain to relatives and friends about the tiredness, weakness at times and all that goes with having chf. I mean there isn't anything bleeding or diseased looking, but inside of me there are lots of things going on. I would like to hear from others so that I can feel like I'm not the only one.

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