Think of ground rules as the compass guiding your parents and caregivers support group meetings – they help ensure everyone feels heard, included, and respected. It’s all about creating a safe space that works for everyone. Here are a few suggestions for these rules, but feel free to tweak them to best fit your group’s needs:

• Be honest about your feelings and thoughts
• Everyone is welcome here, as long as people are respectful and kind to one another
• Use “I” statements to express your feelings, not your opinions
• Respect confidentiality: Take the stories, leave the details and check with people before approaching them in public.
• Keep your comments relevant so everyone can participate
• Listen generously. Listen for what people are saying, not to respond
• Silence electronics, don’t record the meeting, and step out if you must take a call.
• Demonstrate respect for cultural differences and diversity of views.

After sharing these rules, ask for agreement – ask attendees to say “yes” or raise their hand. Consider additional suggestion sand let the group decide if they want to adopt the suggestion.

Download this resource here: Sample Ground Rules