A caregiver support group asks for something you have little of, which is an evening. Before you give it one, treat it the way you would treat any service that wants your time. The question is not whether the group is good in the abstract. The question is whether this group, in this format and at this hour, fits the weeks you are actually living in.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Who runs it, and what they are trained to do
Ask who leads the group and what training they have. Some groups are led by a clinician, some by a trained peer who has been through caregiving, and some by a staff member from a hospital, agency, or nonprofit. Each of these can be useful. Ask what the leader can and cannot advise on. A good facilitator will say plainly that questions about a parent's care belong with the hospice team, and will not try to answer them from the front of the room.
Who is behind it
Find out whether the group is run by a national caregiver nonprofit, a local organization, a hospital, a senior center, or a business that sells services. The sponsor is not a reason to say no, but it does tell you what the group may want from you afterward. If the first half hour turns into an introduction to a paid service, note it and decide whether you want to come back. Look for a plain statement of who runs the group and who pays for the room.
Format, size, and the evening itself
Ask whether the group meets in person, by phone, or by video, and whether the format stays the same from one meeting to the next. Ask how long it runs and whether you can leave early without explaining yourself. Ask how many people usually come. A larger group can be good for listening, and a smaller one can be better for asking questions you have not yet said aloud. Think through the practical costs as well: the drive, parking, who sits with your parent while you are gone, and whether you will be too tired to drive home afterward.
What to check at the first meeting
Notice whether the group keeps to its time, whether people take turns, and whether the leader keeps a new person from being overwhelmed. Notice whether you can describe how the week has gone without being steered toward a conclusion about your own choices or anyone else's. The group should leave room for your voice. If it does not, that is useful information too.
Keep the group in its place
A caregiver group can help you hear how others have carried a hard stretch, and it can help you arrive at the hospice team's next visit with better questions. It is not a substitute for the team's visits, the on-call line, or your parent's own doctor. For local options, the Local Help for Hospice Families page is a place to start, and it is worth comparing what you find there with the questions above.