Bereavement
Care
Why do hospices maintain
contact with families after the death?
Medicare mandates that hospice
programs provide bereavement support to families for a minimum
of thirteen months after a client's death. Hospice has always
considered the terminally-ill client and their family to be a
unit of care. We cannot imagine providing care to a client without
also supporting the family members who are affected by the illness.
And when death occurs, we do not abandon the grieving family.
What does bereavement
care involve?
There are a variety of ways our
agency reaches out to families during their bereavement. Grief
support groups are offered several times each year, mailings of
grief literature are sent periodically, phone calls and/or home
visits are made, a Memorial Service is held each fall, along with
the Tree of Lights Ceremony. In addition, each family receives
information about Camp Courage, our camp for grieving children
ages 8 through 16.
Are families required
to accept bereavement support?
There are families who prefer
to "find their own way" through the grieving process,
and that's fine. We never force our support on anyone. But those
who have accepted our support were very grateful they did!
Why can't people just
accept their grief and move on?
Many people are surprised by the depth
of their pain when a loved one dies. They didn't realize how
grief can turn someone's world upside down. Most people expect
the sadness or loneliness of grief, but aren't prepared for
the mental confusion, physical symptoms, or spiritual crisis
that can accompany grief. There are also strong emotions like
guilt or anger that need to find healthy outlets before they
lead to detrimental behaviors.
How much do families
have to pay for bereavement care?
All bereavement services are
provided at no charge to families. Our agency also offers grief
support to people in the community who have been affected by the
death of someone who wasn't a hospice client. Many of the children
attending Camp Courage are grieving
a non-hospice death.
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