Bereavement Professional

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Renee,

We experienced the same problem and are also a rural hospice, and so for several years we stopped doing remembrance ceremonies altogether. However, last year we tried it again and aside from some hiccups in getting the information out, we had a pretty decent response. Our plan moving forward is to do 1 ceremony a year, and we are doing it in April when spring is usually in full swing.  

Renee,

We experienced the same problem and are also a rural hospice, and so for several years we stopped doing remembrance ceremonies altogether. However, last year we tried it again and aside from some hiccups in getting the information out, we had a pretty decent response. Our plan moving forward is to do 1 ceremony a year, and we are doing it in April when spring is usually in full swing.  

I am hoping to hear from others, too.  We have done two events- one in the evening in May, and one mid-day in Novemeber.  We had consistant attendance for many years, but I've notice the last 3 events attendance has dropped by almost half.  I have wondered if our lives have so come to depend on email reminders that the invitation in the mail isn't enough any more or what else is going on?  Moving forward, I may try and coordinate with our affiliated hospital chaplains to increase the number of invitiations we send out.

Renee,

We experienced the same problem and are also a rural hospice, and so for several years we stopped doing remembrance ceremonies altogether. However, last year we tried it again and aside from some hiccups in getting the information out, we had a pretty decent response. Our plan moving forward is to do 1 ceremony a year, and we are doing it in April when spring is usually in full swing.  

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Hi - 

We hold a memorial service once a year.  We have a large geography (and population) so we do them regionally.  They are held on a Tuesday at 6:30 pm. in the early fall.  We have tried different days as well as Saturday and Sunday.  Tuesdays for some reason works best.  We have also held them on a Wednesday or Thursday evening.  The attendance varies from region to region but we usually have a pretty good crowd. In one region, the team calls each family if they haven't RSVPd. This does seem very effective. 

Good luck. I know they are a lot of work but for the families that do attend, they are very meaningful.  

Diane

Hi - 

We hold a memorial service once a year.  We have a large geography (and population) so we do them regionally.  They are held on a Tuesday at 6:30 pm. in the early fall.  We have tried different days as well as Saturday and Sunday.  Tuesdays for some reason works best.  We have also held them on a Wednesday or Thursday evening.  The attendance varies from region to region but we usually have a pretty good crowd. In one region, the team calls each family if they haven't RSVPd. This does seem very effective. 

Good luck. I know they are a lot of work but for the families that do attend, they are very meaningful.  

Diane

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Hi Renee,

    We have a couple of end of year memorial services with our Tree of Lights the first week of December. We have in the past held it in an indoor, mid-county location and typically have about 40 participants. This year we made a change to bring it outside and to a downtown Santa Cruz setting. This nearly doubled the turnout as it was linked to First Friday which is a monthly downtown event. We were fortunate to have a space and a tree donated. Not sure if any of this helps, it is a special offering for however many show up.

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.

Hi Renee!

We hold our annual Memorial service the last Saturday of September or 1st Saturday of October and we have an average of 100 bereaved families participating (Census of ~60). Service begins at 11am and last for about 1 hour. Invitations are sent out with one of our volunteers making f/u phone calls 2 weeks before the event. We have Subway donate food for our gathering after the service. We have most of our office and field staff involved in the event which is so critical for their healing but to encourage families who want to see their RNs (etc.) again. I also put the event in the monthly letters at least 9 months before the service.

Hope this helps! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Steve Gonzales

Bereavement Coordinator

Grace Hospice

Okemos, MI

As our bereavement census has grown (it is currently at 500) the attendance to the Memorial Service (which we call a service of Remembrance) has increased.  We hold the service on the first Saturday in November, at 2PM.  This way, people aren't having to drive in the dark.  At our service in November of this year we had about 60 in attendance, with about 500 invited.  We have a small reception afterward and family members mingle and talk with staff members.

My question for this group, and maybe I should start a separate thread, is what venues do you hold your services?  We have been using a Moravian church which has minimal Christian decoration.  We want to be sensitive to those who come from all walks of life, and our service reflects this, however we wonder if the fact it is at a church holds some people back.  The invitation states that it is non-denominational.   The space we have been using is so well suited for a service, with the seating arranged in a semi-circle.  There is a piano available as well as a sound system.

For the people who do attend, we get feedback that the service is very meaningful for them. 

Thanks, as always, for your input!

As our bereavement census has grown (it is currently at 500) the attendance to the Memorial Service (which we call a service of Remembrance) has increased.  We hold the service on the first Saturday in November, at 2PM.  This way, people aren't having to drive in the dark.  At our service in November of this year we had about 60 in attendance, with about 500 invited.  We have a small reception afterward and family members mingle and talk with staff members.

My question for this group, and maybe I should start a separate thread, is what venues do you hold your services?  We have been using a Moravian church which has minimal Christian decoration.  We want to be sensitive to those who come from all walks of life, and our service reflects this, however we wonder if the fact it is at a church holds some people back.  The invitation states that it is non-denominational.   The space we have been using is so well suited for a service, with the seating arranged in a semi-circle.  There is a piano available as well as a sound system.

For the people who do attend, we get feedback that the service is very meaningful for them. 

Thanks, as always, for your input!

As our bereavement census has grown (it is currently at 500) the attendance to the Memorial Service (which we call a service of Remembrance) has increased.  We hold the service on the first Saturday in November, at 2PM.  This way, people aren't having to drive in the dark.  At our service in November of this year we had about 60 in attendance, with about 500 invited.  We have a small reception afterward and family members mingle and talk with staff members.

My question for this group, and maybe I should start a separate thread, is what venues do you hold your services?  We have been using a Moravian church which has minimal Christian decoration.  We want to be sensitive to those who come from all walks of life, and our service reflects this, however we wonder if the fact it is at a church holds some people back.  The invitation states that it is non-denominational.   The space we have been using is so well suited for a service, with the seating arranged in a semi-circle.  There is a piano available as well as a sound system.

For the people who do attend, we get feedback that the service is very meaningful for them. 

Thanks, as always, for your input!

Good morning!

I have been a Bereavement Coordinator for almost 4 years. Each year, the number of individuals attending our Annual Gathering of Remembrance has decreased. Usually we have the service the first or second weekend in Decemeber around 6:00pm. Since our numbers were dropping and since we do tend to serve an older population, I thought that maybe this year I would try an earlier time (2:00pm). The number of people who have RSVP'ed is significantly lower than what we have had in the past. (And it's this coming Saturday the 12th). I have a very deidcated volunteer who has willingly made calls to those who were sent an invitiation and she only a received a handful of "yes" responses. We are a small rural hospice (average daily census is around 35-40) so our numbers are low to begin with. I was wondering when and how often other Bereavement Coordinators hold Remembrance Services? (Twice a year or just one time. What time of day? What month is it held?) I'm just looking for other options so we can reach as many individuals as possible. Thanks in advance for your input.