Bereavement care is an essential component of hospice care that includes anticipating grief reactions and providing ongoing support for the bereaved over a period of 13 months.
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. Mental reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness and despair. Physical reactions can include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems or illness.
Grief is a normal and expected reaction to loss. The grieving process is individualized; there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Each person grieves in their own way. The first year of bereavement is the most difficult as the bereaved experiences the “year of firsts” such as first birthday, first holiday, first anniversary, etc. without their loved one
How long bereavement lasts can depend on how close you were to the person who died, if the person's death was expected and other factors. Friends, family and faith may be sources of support. Grief counseling or grief therapy is also helpful to some people.
Each of us takes their own journey through grief and healing. Allow yourself to open up to the idea that not every person experiences and deals with the loss of a loved one in the same way. As there are many cultural and or religious practices supported in communities to help those facing loss, understand that there is no “one way” or “one plan” that can work for everybody.
Our bereavement program focuses on: