Bereavement Professional

  • 1.  Children Dealing with Death & Grief

    Posted 02-09-2016 03:04 PM

    In a few months, our Social Worker and I will be having an in-service for our volunteers titled, Children Dealing with Death & Grief. We plan to cover several topics during this session, however, we are struggling to come up with additional ideas/ways on how to encourage children to get involved in helping out with the ill patient and how to spend quality time with the patient while they are able to enjoy it.

    Some of our exmples so far have been: rubbing lotion on the patient's hands/feet, reading to them, playing an instrument, watching tv or a movie, playing a game, coloring...

    What creative ideas do you have? Suggestions on gentle ways to encourage those who are hesitant to be involved?

    Thanks for your help!

    ------------------------------
    Renee Gibson
    Volunteer/Bereavement Coordinator
    WMHS Hospice Services
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  • 2.  RE: Children Dealing with Death & Grief

    Posted 02-09-2016 06:34 PM

    HI Renee,

    We have good success with Hand-Tree Paintings, where child and adult use their handprints to create a tree.  Whole families have done this as well.  We also had one pt. whose little one (3 1/2 yo) created the "leaves" on the tree with her fingerprints and Mamma created the tree with her hand. 


    We have also had the children paint a pillowcase for the pt.'s pillow.  If there is more than one child in the family, do one pillow case each - they may want these later.  Their loved one is literally laying right on the love their child has for them (sweet and healing). . . .


    Those have been easy for anyone to lead/do with our pt.'s with children.


    Peace

     

    Brenda Kenyon, LCSW
    Grief Specialist
    (317) 338-4057
    St.Vincent Home Health
    and Hospice





    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Children Dealing with Death & Grief

    Posted 02-10-2016 08:35 AM

    Hi -

    We encourage hand-tracings. They can overlap hands, create trees, angels, people, simply decorate the hand, mandalas, all sorts of things.  This is the most utilized activity. They can also make bracelets out of duct tape where the child makes one for the dying adult on one for themselves. In addition to singing or playing an instrument, the child can read to the adult or make up a story or tell a favorite story.  They can make little accordion books - where they take a strip of paper, fold it into an accordion, decorate the front and back. Inside they can write or draw notes, prayers, wishes, thoughts or feelings.  When folded, wrap with yarn.  They can also make flags or banners like the Tibetan Prayer Flag and place them around the room.  Best yet, the can simple sit with the dying adult and be present.

    Hope that helps. 

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    Diane Snyder Cowan, MA, MT-BC, CHPCA
    Director of Bereavement Center
    Hospice of the Western Reserve, Inc

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Children Dealing with Death & Grief

    Posted 02-10-2016 04:37 PM

    Go through photos together to make a scrapbook page, make a "My Favorites" collage with patient by cutting out pictures from magazines.

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    Jane Olivier
    Wellspring Lutheran Services

    Original Message