Hello All,
It is quite common for bereavement programs throughout the country to offer special workshops, groups, or memorial events at this time of year. It is both darker with shorter days, longer nights, colder weather, and many family traditions centered around holidays coinciding with this time as well. Frequently bereaved report feeling surges of grief, feelings of depression, and identify stress and challenges for a multitude of reasons related to family traditions and holidays. It is often a regular topic on our discussion board that can be so very rich as we all learn and grow as a community of professionals hoping to continue to best serve the bereaved in our communities.
Thus the Bereavement Professional Community Committee wanted to post for both old and new bereavement professionals to contribute their thoughts on any of the below:
- What are some interventions you have offered individual bereaved clients in counseling during this time of year?
- Any special interventions for children and teens over the winter or holidays? Whether individual, within small families, or in support groups or schools?
- What are some offerings or types of programs you have done and are opting to not continue, and why?
- What are things your hospice has done and continues to do because of it's positive reception and impact?
- Anyone who does a memorial event this time of year, or those who elect not to and why that works/does not work for your community?
- Thoughts on creative things you are considering trying this year or in the future that touches on the theme of winter or holidays?
Thank you in advance for any who contribute, and feel free to chime in if you and your hospice or palliative care program have a specific related question you'd like to attach to this thread!
Best thoughts to all of you whom are doing this work of service and support to those whom are grieving – thank you!
Joelle Osterhaus, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, ACHP-SW (she/her)
Hospice & Palliative Care Psychosocial Services Manager
Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Continuing Care Services
2701 NW Vaughn St., Ste. 140
Portland, OR 97210-5344
Cell Phone: (503) 312-0819
Main Office: (503) 499-5200
Fax: (503) 499-5535
CCS Social Work Sharepoint Site (internal use): https://sp-cloud.kp.org/sites/NWCCSSocialWork/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx
CCS Bereavement Program Sharepoint Site (internal use): https://sites.sp.kp.org/teams/nwreg/NWAmbulatoryCare/CCS/Hospice/SitePages/BS.aspx
CCS Dept Sharepoint Site (internal use): https://sites.sp.kp.org/teams/nwreg/NWAmbulatoryCare/CCS/SitePages/Home.aspx
Hospice Volunteer Website: : https://www.kpnwvolunteer.org/hospice
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