Bereavement Professional

  • 1.  How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-23-2021 03:05 PM

    Hello all,

     

    Here's my question for today:

    I'm primarily concerned with bereaved individuals "falling through the cracks" of our system - specifically those whose loved ones utilized our hospice services and thus are a part the 13 month follow up plan.

    How and when do you gather contact preferences for the bereaved in your organization?

    For context: In my organization, when a patient dies, the social worker on that patient's care team makes a condolence call within 5 days of the death, and during that call asks the family for contact preferences, i.e. who wishes to receive calls and/or mailings? From that point we determine who will receive a 2 week call from bereavement, and who will receive our mailings. Calls are also provided at the 4 and 7 month mark, during which the bereaved person is asked to update their contact preferences. 

    I feel that our way of gathering contact preferences is far from ideal, because when the condolence call is made after death, we could be asking one family member to speak for the preferences of all, resulting in error in preference, and potentially key family members or friends not receiving contact from Grief Support. 

    Thanks in advance for your support and wisdom! 
    -Merrin Bethel 
    Bereavement Coordinator
    Emmanuel Hospice 
    mbethel@emmanuelhospice.org



  • 2.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-24-2021 01:54 PM
    Upon the initial assessment of the patient. Whomever does the assessment enters the information into our bereavement module then we have the information if needed for pre-bereavement needs as well. We now also within our organization have an email videos by David Kessler that the bereaved can opt in at the time of death for another layer of support. Our SW does the initial Risk Assessment of the pcg at same time as doing the initial SW assessment for the patient, as well. I send out a Sympathy Card the moment I first hear about the passing of the patient and start attempting to reach the bereaved for the condolence call. I hope this helps somewhat. to your question about gathering contact preferences. On the condolence call, I will ask if there are any others that should be added to the bereavement calendar of mailings/calls.

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    PeterTripp , DD COMPASSUS HOSPICE, GreenvilleSCUnited States
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  • 3.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-24-2021 01:57 PM
    Thanks for your reply Peter, I think that gathering contact preferences for the family at or near admission might also help us with meeting anticipatory grief needs. Love the David Kessler videos that people can opt into!


  • 4.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-24-2021 02:17 PM
    We were having similar issues to yours until we made this the standard/required practice  for the person doing the admission and the Bereavement Coordinator doing the condolence calls that way you can guarantee your within compliant amount of days for contact. We add the other family members, etc that need bereavement at a different address at the time of the Condolence Call because some may decline bereavement services then you would have multiple names to remove.

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    PeterTripp, DD Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator-COMPASSUS HOSPICE Upstate Progarm(Greenville/Gaffney)SCUnited States
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  • 5.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-27-2021 09:39 AM
    I work for a very small, rural Hospice. We usually have anywhere from 135 - 160ish families on bereavement services at any given time. On admission, I complete a pre-bereavement assessment on the primary caregiver (next of kin, if the patient is in a facility). We inform the patient/family on admission that bereavement services are available for a year following the patient's death and ask them to identify who they feel would benefit the most from the material and contacts.  We encourage family members to share the material with others and at times, they call to switch the contact or decline further contacts. Because I am both the SW and the bereavement coordinator, I know all the people we care for. Our bereavement program is set up as follows:

    Upon the death, I call the contact person, offer condolences, and explain the bereavement program
    2 weeks after the death, the contact receives a call from a nurse that has been involved with the care
    1-2 weeks after the death, an initial packet is mailed with grief information including grief-specific material (death of a child, spouse, parent, etc.)
    Within 4 -6 weeks after the death, I call the contact person and complete a bereavement assessment
    2 months - call from bereavement volunteer
    3 months - flyer
    4 months - flyers
    5 months - call from bereavement volunteer
    6 months - flyer
    7 months - flyer
    8 months - call from bereavement volunteer
    9 months - flyer
    10 months - flyer
    11 months - call from bereavement volunteer
    1 year - flyer

    We also mail out a booklet on coping with the holidays to each contact and prior to COVID we would have an in-person Memorial Service two times a year.

    Please note my new email address below and update your records.  Thanks!

    Myrna Jordan, LMSW - AHPC-SW 
    Social Worker, Hospice 
    The University of Kansas Health System
    HaysMed

    Phone 785-623-6200 | Fax 785-623-5465 | mjordan5@kumc.edu

    2220 Canterbury Drive, PO BOX 8100, Hays, Kansas 67601








  • 6.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-27-2021 02:29 PM
    Hi, thank you for this information. I would like to know more about the videos by David Kessler that you send. I am familiar with his book Finding Meaning. Can you please tell us more about the videos that you send via email. Did you have to purchase these videos/get permission to send them?  Thank you!

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    Natalie Louise Park MSW
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  • 7.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-28-2021 08:23 AM
    Our Hospice Program set them up. You may need to contact David Kessler directly to see about costs of adding to your program. I enter the bereaved that opt in for the emails in the "entry kiosk" and I do not see it from there. It is between D.Kessler and the client.

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    PeterTripp, DD CompassusChaplain/Bereavement Coordinator GreenvilleSCUnited States
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  • 8.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 09-29-2021 12:02 PM
    Thank you Peter!​


  • 9.  RE: How do you gather contact preferences?

    Posted 10-01-2021 03:05 PM
    I can appreciate the challenge of ensuring grief support is truly provided to those who request it. Similar to you, during the bereavement IDT discussion we rely on the patient care team to identify those who may be open to grief support contact. In addition, at time of death, sometimes maybe others are identified at the death visit and placed in the bereavement notes. Involving the entire team helps us to ensure that we identify those who are open to support. Often at our initial calls, we ask about the family as well, and loved ones might identify others who need contact. Unfortunately, I think other than contacting each and every person listed as a family and friend, there is probably not a 100% method, but as long as your patient care team is participating in the discussion, hopefully bereaved are connected to you.

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    Karen Monts
    Director, Grief Support Services & Practice Manager, Counseling Services
    Northstar Care Community
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