Hospice Support For The Family
How can I support a friend or loved one in hospice care?
To support a friend or a loved one in hospice care, be there for them, visit with them. I know everyone looks for the right thing to say or do for a friend or loved one in hospice care. There's nothing special. There are no right words for a friend or loved one in hospice care. It's a time where just your presence makes a difference. If the friend or loved one in hospice care wants to talk and have serious conversations, by all means be willing to be there. And if the friend or loved one in hospice care just wants to talk about baseball or cooking, just be willing to keep it light. But really know that it's your companionship that is the best way to support your loved one or your friend in hospice care.
What emotional support does hospice offer to families?
Hospice offers a lot of support for families. From nurses who are trained to have the hard conversations, to social workers that are there to address emotional needs, many hospices also have groups for families and ways that families can connect with each other during this hard time.
What is "bereavement"?
Bereavement is the period after your loved one has passed away when you are grieving and mourning. Hospice offers a lot of resources to families at the time of bereavement. Some have bereavement counselors. Others have bereavement groups. Make sure you ask your hospice what they have to offer you in terms of bereavement services. Don't be afraid, if your loved one passed away a year ago or even longer, and you start to have feelings that are hard for you to deal with. Call your local hospice. Bereavement groups are usually available to people well after their loved one has passed away.
How do I know if a bereavement group is right for me?
Many times people won't want to go to a bereavement group, and I always stress, "A bereavement group is not a 'want to' thing." You're unfortunately dealing with feelings because someone you love has died. No one wants to go to a bereavement group. So if you don't want to, know that that's natural, but just try it for a few times. Once you find that you're in a room with other people who have dealt with really terrible losses, the bereavement group will make sense. People find relationships in bereavement groups that last for years afterwards and find a lot of enormous support.
