BEREAVEMENT SERVICES

The Hospice of the Upstate Bereavement Program provides services to all hospice families for up to one year after the death of the patient. Individual counseling or support visits are available upon request. Listed below are some of the Bereavement services available to families in our area to educate and support them in the grief process. These services are designed to give caring support during grief, and they are available to families in our area.

Grief Series

This is a support group for people whose loss is less than one year. It meets for five consecutive weeks and offers information on how to cope after a loss as well as an opportunity to share with others. Sessions are held quarterly in the parlor of the Sadler Bereavement and Education Center. Participants choose either a 10:00 A.M. or a 6:00 P.M. Monday session. The next series begins April 7, 2008.

First Year Groups

Upon completion of the Grief Series, attendees are invited to one of these groups for further education and support during the first year following death. The groups meet monthly on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. Both sessions are held in the Sadler Center parlor.

Men’s Group

A men’s support group meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 11:00 A.M. in the Sadler Center parlor. It is led by a male staff member of Hospice of the Upstate, and is followed by lunch in Rose Dining Hall.

Activity Group

Activities that support the grief journey are provided for persons in any stage of grief at 10:00 AM in the Sadler Center parlor on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Grief Support Drop-in

Sometimes a person in grief finds solace in talking with someone else. Persons in any stage of grief are invited to drop-in on Thursdays between 10:00 and 11:00 A.M. A staff person will be available in the parlor each Thursday to talk with those who drop in.

Potluck Lunch

Anyone in any stage of grief is invited to join us at 11:00 A.M. on the third Tuesday of each month in the Sadler Center Conference Center for a time of socialization with others who also have experienced grief. Bring your favorite food to share for the meal.

Regional Groups

A general grief group meets in Greenville on the fourth Monday of each month at 3:00 P.M. at the Francis Asbury United Methodist Church, 1800 East North Street, Greenville. A group meets in Easley on the fourth Thursday at 3:00 P.M. at the First Baptist Church, 300 East First Avenue, Easley. Plans are being developed for a group to meet in Hartwell, GA. A member of the Hospice of the Upstate staff leads these groups.

Specialty Groups

At various times specialty groups are held. They are announced in advance and include topics such as Loss of a Spouse, Loss of a Child, Loss of a Parent, Women Only.

Service of Remembrance

Each quarter we honor our Hospice of the Upstate patients who have died within a three month period. Family members are invited to join us in a very lovely setting for an encouraging and reflective program and reception. It is a good occasion to honor loved ones and reconnect with staff and volunteers.

For Children....

Camp Sunburst is a camp for grieving children, ages 6 – teens, held at the Clemson Outdoor Lab in April of each year.

Expressing Ourselves is a Children’s Grief workshop which meets monthly at the Anderson County Arts Center. “Art to Heal Your Heart” for ages 5-16 deals with loss, separation or death of a loved one. All sessions are designed as an opportunity for young people to share and grow through their common experiences, develop individual coping skills and participate in healing art projects. Applications are available by contacting Heather Kline-Schaffer at (864) 224-3358.

About Support Groups . . .

What is a bereavement support group? This is a meeting of approximately 10-18 people who have experienced the death of a loved one. It is an opportunity to talk about that experience with a group of people who are likely to understand because they themselves have been there. Often, attendees describe the group as a “safe place”, a place where normal people who have experienced significant losses can tell their stories as often as they need, knowing the stories will be respected and held in strict confidentiality by everyone there. These groups are not therapy groups. When it works well, it is healing…but it is not intended to cure long-standing issues of emotional well-being. For that reason, most grieving people who have a history of emotional difficulties are encouraged to seek out individual counseling for grief work. The purpose of the bereavement support group is not primarily a social network even though friendships form as people get to know each other,

What happens in a group meeting? Generally, the facilitator of the group describes the principles by which the group operates. Attendees are given an opportunity to introduce him/herself. At the appropriate time those who wish to do so are given the opportunity to share their stories. Coping techniques are shared. An open discussion period is included and the facilitator provides educational information. Each person participates at the level on which he/she feels comfortable and no one is forced to do otherwise.

Who leads a bereavement support group? Our groups are facilitated by professional staff members of Hospice of the Upstate. While the facilitator may provide some information on the grieving process, valuable input often comes from the group members themselves.

Why might a support group be helpful? Persons are helped in a variety of ways such as: (1) Connecting with people who have had a similar experience and, therefore, understand; (2) Talking about their experience long after others have stopped listening (3) Learning to accept the loss; (4) Learning ways to cope with grief, etc.

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For additional information on any of these meetings, contact Donna Davis, Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of the Upstate (864) 328-1950 or 1 800 261-8636.

Hospice of the Upstate

1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621

864-224-3358 or 800-261-8636

fax 864-328-1132