Caregivers across Bermuda will be able to access individual counselling and drop-in support groups at no out-of-pocket cost through a new partnership between the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors and Solstice.
Launched during World Alzheimer’s Month, the Caregiver Support Initiative recognises the important role caregivers play in supporting family members, friends and loved ones living with significant health conditions, disabilities or changing care needs.
The initiative will run from September 17 to October 17, 2026, providing eligible caregivers with confidential one-to-one supportive counselling and free drop-in caregiver support groups.
While World Alzheimer’s Month provided the catalyst for the initiative, the programme recognises that the emotional and practical demands of caregiving extend across many conditions and circumstances.
The Caregiver Support Initiative is intentionally inclusive and is available to eligible individuals providing regular or significant care or assistance to a family member, friend or loved one because of a health condition, long-term illness, disability or other significant care need.
This may include people caring for someone living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, kidney disease or receiving dialysis, cancer, heart or respiratory conditions, multiple sclerosis or other neurological conditions, mental health conditions, developmental or intellectual disabilities, chronic illness, physical disabilities, frailty or age-related needs, or recovering from a significant illness or injury.
The list is not intended to be exhaustive. If someone has taken on a meaningful caregiving role and feels they need support, they are encouraged to contact Solstice to discuss whether the initiative may be appropriate for them.
The initiative combines Government funding, applicable health insurance coverage and a significant community contribution from Solstice to make mental health and emotional support more accessible to Bermuda’s caregivers.
As part of its commitment, Solstice has significantly reduced its usual service costs and is contributing additional clinical, administrative and coordination resources, allowing available Government funding and insurance coverage to support more caregivers.
The partnership reflects a shared belief that caregivers, who give so much of themselves to support others, should also be able to access support for their own wellbeing without cost being a barrier.
Supporting the Person Behind the Caregiving Role
The focus of the Caregiver Support Initiative is the caregiver and their wellbeing.
Caregivers can become so focused on their loved one’s appointments, treatment, medications, practical responsibilities and the wellbeing of the person they are supporting that their own emotional health can become secondary.
Through the initiative, eligible caregivers can access free confidential, one-to-one supportive counselling with qualified Solstice clinicians. Sessions will provide a dedicated space to talk about their experiences and may include support around caregiver stress, grief and adjustment, changing relationships and family roles, uncertainty about the future, boundaries, coping strategies and maintaining their own emotional health.
Recognising that finding time can itself be a barrier for caregivers, appointments will be offered flexibly, including in-person and online, during lunchtime breaks, after work and on Saturdays, subject to availability.
Free Drop-In Caregiver Support Groups
Solstice will also provide eight free drop-in caregiver support groups during the initiative.
The groups will provide a welcoming and confidential space for caregivers to connect with others who understand the experience and demands of caring for another person, share experiences, receive emotional support and discuss strategies for maintaining their own wellbeing.
The groups are deliberately not diagnosis-specific. Although participants may be caring for people with very different needs, many of the emotional experiences of caregiving are shared.
There is no requirement to attend the full series. Caregivers are welcome to attend one session or several, depending on what works for them.
Tuesday Afternoon Groups – 1:00 p.m. September 22 and 29 October 6 and 13
Thursday Evening Groups – 5:30 p.m. September 24 October 1, 8 and 15
Offering both afternoon and evening sessions is intended to provide greater flexibility for caregivers managing work, family and caregiving responsibilities.
Minister Furbert: Supporting Those Who Care for Others
The Hon. Tinée Furbert, JP, MP, Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, said: “Caring for a loved one can be both deeply meaningful and incredibly demanding. Whether someone is caring for a family member living with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, recovering from a stroke, managing a mental health condition or facing another ongoing health challenge, we recognise that caregivers need care and support too.
“Through the Caregiver Support Initiative, our partnership with Solstice will provide caregivers with accessible individual counselling and drop-in group support, with no out-of-pocket cost to eligible participants. I encourage caregivers to take advantage of these services and to know that they do not have to navigate the caregiving journey alone.”
Supporting Caregivers Across Bermuda
The launch of the initiative during World Alzheimer’s Month also reflects Solstice’s growing work in older adult mental health, cognitive health, dementia and Alzheimer’s care through its Longevity Centre.
Through the Longevity Centre, Solstice has expanded its services for older adults and their families, including cognitive health and assessment, emotional wellbeing, healthy ageing and maintaining quality of life as needs change.
This work is led by Dr. Shawnee Basden, Consultant Psychologist, and has recently been strengthened by the addition of Dr. Elizabeth Hathaway, Consultant Psychiatrist, whose practice includes a special interest in older adult mental health.
Kelly Madeiros, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Solstice, said: “We are honoured to partner with the Ministry on the Caregiver Support Initiative during World Alzheimer’s Month, particularly around an issue that is impacting so many individuals and families across Bermuda. Caregivers give an enormous amount of themselves to support the people they love, and it is equally important that they have somewhere to turn for support, understanding and connection.”
Madeiros added: “When someone is living with a serious or ongoing health condition, the impact is often felt by the whole family and the wider support system around them. Caregivers give so much of themselves, often while balancing work, family and their own wellbeing. Supporting them has to be part of how we support the person they are caring for.”
Accessing the Caregiver Support Initiative
Caregivers may access the initiative through self-referral or referral from Ageing & Disability Services or Dementia Bermuda.
The Caregiver Support Initiative is open to eligible caregivers supporting loved ones across a range of health conditions and circumstances. If you are unsure whether your caregiving situation is covered by the initiative, you are encouraged to contact Solstice.
Caregivers interested in individual supportive counselling can contact Solstice at 292-3456 or info@solstice.bm for further information, to confirm eligibility and to arrange an appointment.
Caregivers are also welcome to attend the Tuesday 1:00 p.m. or Thursday 5:30 p.m. drop-in support groups, with no requirement to attend every session.
The Caregiver Support Initiative runs from September 17 to October 17, 2026.
Solstice is Bermuda’s leading private mental wellness centre, offering multidisciplinary, evidencebased services for individuals, families, schools and organizations. Through clinical care, public education, partnerships, and community outreach, the organization works to improve access to mental healthcare, provide opportunities for Bermudians to pursue professions in mental health care and reduce stigma across the island. For more information, visit Solstice Bermuda.
