Grief and Loss Resources
Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after a death. When you grieve, it's part of the normal process of reacting to a loss. You may experience grief as a mental, physical, social or emotional reaction.
There is no right way to grieve. It is an individual process and a natural part of life. Life won’t be the same after a loss, but experiencing your grief will allow you to adjust to life after loss.
Each of us takes their own journey through grief and healing. Allow yourself to open up to the idea that not every person experiences the loss of a loved one in the same fashion.
The Bereavement Coordinator at each office facilitates and oversees the bereavement services provided by Bella Care Hospice. The bereavement team may include the Bereavement Coordinator, the Social Worker, the Chaplain, and Volunteer.
A team member, typically the Bereavement Coordinator, will telephone the caregiver following the patient’s death to offer condolences and support The caregiver will also receive information about our support groups, individual counseling opportunities, and other materials to provide support and encouragement. Our grief support groups are offered throughout the year.
Bereavement services are optional, however if you decline services initially, you may change your mind at any time. Simply call the office for further assistance. Please keep in mind that shortly after a loved one’s death, some people feel that they are doing well, but find that months later, the grief has changed. We encourage everyone to give themselves time. Time to heal, time to share, and time to learn how to exist without the person whom you loved. Be gentle with yourself.
Bereavement services are available free of charge to our family members, as well as members of the communities we serve.
Available Bereavement Services
- Initial visit by Bereavement Coordinator
- Quarterly bereavement contacts with monthly mailings
- Grief education and counseling
- Support groups for adults
- Social support group gatherings
- Yearly remembrance service
- Access to a variety of materials through our library and resources
Resources
Living In The Different, by Elaine J. Clinger Sturtz
Final Gifts, by Maggie Callanan & Patrick Kelley
Lessons from the Dying, by Rodney Smith
The Courage To Grieve, by Judy Tatelbaum
Life is Goodbye, Life is Hello, by Alla Renee Bozarth
Motherless Daughters, by Hope Edelman
I Can’t Stop Crying, by John Martin and Frank Ferris
The Grieving Time, by Anne Brooks
What Helped Me When My Loved One Died,by Earl Grollman
A Grace Disguised: How a Soul Grows Through Loss,by Gerald Sittser
How to Survive the Loss of a Love, by Melba Colgrove
Life After Loss, by Bob Deits
A Broken Heart Still Beats: After Your Child Dies, by Anne McCracken And Mary Semel
The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child, by Barbara D. Rosof
Safe Passage, by Molly Fumia
In My Mother’s Kitchen: An Introduction to the Healing Power of Reminiscence, by Robin Edgar
Living When a Loved One Has Died, by Earl Grollman
Surviving Grief...and Learning to Live Again, by Catherine Sanders
Swallowed by a Snake: The gift to the Masculine Side of Healing, by Thomas Golden
Keys to Helping Children Deal with Death and Grief, by Joy Johnson
Talking with Children About Loss, by Maria Trozzi with Kathy Mussinini
I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye, by Brook Noel