Frequently Asked Questions
Bereavement Services FAQS
Who is eligible for bereavement services?
Bereavement services are available to the patient and family during a person’s illness. After the person’s death, support is offered to family members for at least a year, and extended longer if requested. Services are also offered to anyone in the community who has suffered the loss of a loved one.
What kinds of services do you offer?
Anyone in the community can receive a number of helpful services from the bereavement staff at Hospice. These include:
- Grief support groups
- Grief education seminars
- Individual grief counseling
- Literature on specific grief situations
- Lending library
Other services also available to hospice families include:
- Support from a trained volunteer
- Annual Remembrance Service to honor those persons who have died in Hospice’s care
What is the cost?
All services are provided at no cost to the individual. Donations are gratefully accepted.
What ages do you serve?
Services are available to children and adults of all ages.
What kind of grief support groups do you offer?
Two ongoing groups are held each month. A daytime group meets the first Tuesday of each month at noon, and an evening group meets the last Thursday at 6 p.m. Groups are facilitated by a member of our bereavement care staff.
What if I’d rather not face a lot of folks in a group setting?
Individual grief counseling is also available.
Can you recommend any grief and loss literature?
Yes. We can recommend or provide these resources. We have a library from which books can be borrowed. Also available is free literature on grief and loss for general and many specific situations; it can be picked up or mailed out.
What bereavement services are available to individuals who live out of the area?
We can mail helpful resources to those who live out of the area. We can also refer people to grief services at Hospices in other locations.
What kinds of programs are available for groups such as churches, schools, and businesses?
We offer several programs that can be brought into your church, school or business:
- Grief Education, which focuses on common symptoms and reactions to loss; and ways to help yourself and other who are grieving
- Coping With Loss during the Holidays
- Helping Students (or Employees/Colleagues/Church members) Deal with Grief and Loss
- A Grief Support Group for students, staff, or group
How do I access Hospice bereavement services and programs?
You may call or e-mail our Bereavement Care Coordinator, Shannon Slater, at 828.894.7000, 800.617.7132, or sslater@hocf.org. Voice mails and e-mails are completely confidential.