Bereavement Professional

Good morning! Can anyone give me insight on how you're getting your bereavement cards personalized and signed, as well as the timeframe you're sending them? We've been leaving blank cards out for IDG meetings to have staff sign and then adding the patient's name later but we'd like to move toward a more personal approach. Any help is much appreciated:)

Good Morning,

We used to bring our cards to our team meeting and pass around, but this lead to staff doing just their signature and title and we missed the opportunity to capture heartfelt words.

We shifted to a practice of giving the card directly to the staff who worked with the patient. I add a sticky note to the outside envelop with the names of the staff who should sign. They cross of their name and pass to the next person. Each leave a nice personal message and then there is still a blank statement within our card that says "from all of us at Hospice Touch". 

We mail the card within 1 week. The family has really appreciated the thoughtful words written.

We get our sympathy card and standard newsletters from Wings Of Change Publications. They have great material and are reasonable. 

-Samantha Warsaw, CSW
Bereavement Coordinator 
Tomah Health Hospice Touch
Original Message:
Sent: 06-08-2021 12:00
From: Princess Milton
Subject: Bereavement Mailings

Good morning! Can anyone give me insight on how you're getting your bereavement cards personalized and signed, as well as the timeframe you're sending them? We've been leaving blank cards out for IDG meetings to have staff sign and then adding the patient's name later but we'd like to move toward a more personal approach. Any help is much appreciated:)

Hello, 

We have several volunteers who hand write 6 month and 1 year death anniversary greeting cards to every pt's primary care giver after their passing.  This is always well received by families as support from our organization past the pt's TOD. 

Sara Cohick, MSW, LICSW, ACHP-SW
Hospice of the Panhandle
West Virginia
Original Message:
Sent: 06-08-2021 12:00
From: Princess Milton
Subject: Bereavement Mailings

Good morning! Can anyone give me insight on how you're getting your bereavement cards personalized and signed, as well as the timeframe you're sending them? We've been leaving blank cards out for IDG meetings to have staff sign and then adding the patient's name later but we'd like to move toward a more personal approach. Any help is much appreciated:)

Hi there! 

We write the name of the bereaved family member on the inside of the card above the printed text, then we add a sticky note that reminds staff whose family member it is - for example, "Daughter of John Smith". We then put the cards out for staff to sign, and everyone who can signs them throughout the week, regardless of whether they knew the patient or family, but then the patient's care team will often leave longer/more personal messages inside. I think it goes a long way, and it also helps people to feel cared for to have a flurry of signatures on the inside. Bereavement makes up these cards weekly based on our death report, and we try to mail them within a week (sometimes we'll wait a couple extra days to garner more signatures if needed). 

Hope this helps! 
-Merrin
Original Message:
Sent: 06-08-2021 12:00
From: Princess Milton
Subject: Bereavement Mailings

Good morning! Can anyone give me insight on how you're getting your bereavement cards personalized and signed, as well as the timeframe you're sending them? We've been leaving blank cards out for IDG meetings to have staff sign and then adding the patient's name later but we'd like to move toward a more personal approach. Any help is much appreciated:)

​We send 2 cards - one from the hospice organization, addressed and signed by a volunteer, including a business card for bereavement services. The 2nd comes from the team that supported the patient and family -- organized by the chaplain and signed by any member of the team who would like to sign. With COVID and minimal in person contact, that has been modified but still happens. Our administrative staff ensures they're mailed.
Original Message:
Sent: 06-08-2021 12:00
From: Princess Milton
Subject: Bereavement Mailings

Good morning! Can anyone give me insight on how you're getting your bereavement cards personalized and signed, as well as the timeframe you're sending them? We've been leaving blank cards out for IDG meetings to have staff sign and then adding the patient's name later but we'd like to move toward a more personal approach. Any help is much appreciated:)