Grief during the holidays
Press release
From St. Joseph Health Systems
The holiday season, traditionally a time to enjoy family gatherings, can be especially difficult for individuals and families who have experienced the death of someone they love.
“Holidays are a time when the world slows down. We get off our treadmill and acknowledge what is important,” notes Jeff Towns, President of the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “Time is typically centered on relaxing and enjoying ourselves. We gather with family and dear friends. Consequently, all our losses are felt more acutely during this time. Slowing down means there is more space for pain to make its presence felt.”
“Hospices are experts in grief and can be a welcome source of support to someone who has lost a loved one through death,” said Lori Johnson, Director of Home Health and Hospice at St. Joseph Health System.
St. Joseph Health System offers a Grief Support Group which is an extension of the health system’s Hospice services. The group meets once a month and focuses on many issues such as feelings associated with loss, understanding the grief process, problem solving and indentifying sources of strength. In addition the health system offers Grief Recovery Group sessions that meet once a week for one month. Both programs are designed to provide a safe environment to talk about feelings as they relate to loss and discover new ways to cope with feelings and changes in one’s life.
The grief support programs are free of charge and are available to anyone in the community, even if the person who died was not a hospice patient.
For those mourning the death of someone important to them, here are a few special ways to acknowledge that loss during this holiday season:
- Change some holiday traditions; keep some of the old ones and create new ones.
- Develop a special ritual that remembers the person who is gone. Light a candle daily and spend a few minutes in quiet reflection.
- Hang an ornament that represents your loved one.
- Set a place at the table for your missing loved one.
- Say a special prayer in memory of the relationship you are missing.
- Give a gift your loved one would have liked to someone in a nursing home.
For more information or to receive special support for your grief during the holiday season, contact St. Joseph Spiritual Care or visit www.sjhsys.org.
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