Grief support is available
Hospice and Home CareBy Mary Cook
And so the days grow shorter, and though I love how the daylight fuels my energy during summer, the cooler days and lengthening nights better suit my mood in fall. Since the death of my partner seven years ago, I've continued to feel my loss more acutely as the Earth tilts away from the sun. If you are grieving and need a safe place to share your sorrow, Hospice and Home Care of Juneau may have a support group that meets your needs.
Beginning on Oct. 11 and running through Nov. 22, Hospice and Home Care of Juneau will offer a bereavement support group for anyone who has suffered a loss through death. The group will be facilitated by Jean Jasmine, Debbie Sis and volunteer bereavement counselors, and will meet at the Hospice and Home Care office. There is a suggested donation of $80 for the session, but a sliding scale is available. Pre-registration is required.
Heartbeat is a mutual support group offering empathy, encouragement and direction following the suicide of a loved one. The group meets at the Hospice and Home Care office from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month .
For those who are grieving the death of a beloved pet, a drop-in group will start Oct. 14 and will meet from 5 to 6 p.m. each Friday at the Hospice and Home Care office. Volunteer Debbie McBride will facilitate with the help of other volunteers.
With the fall rains upon us, a "Good Grief Talk" will now take the place of the weekly "Good Grief Walk." This group meets at the HHCJ office every Thursday from noon to 1pm and is open to the public.
For elementary age kids and their families who have lost a loved one through death, a group will meet at the Shepherd of the Valley Church, 6:30-7:30 p.m., on alternate Mondays beginning Oct. 24 and will run through March 2006. Another group for accompanying adults will also be available. Enrollment is limited and pre-registration is required.
Teens face a myriad of losses as part of their daily lives: death, illness, suicide, divorce, and moving households. A grief and loss support group for students at Juneau-Douglas High School and Yakoosge Daakahidi Alternative School, called TAG (Teens and Grief) would meet in the schools counseling rooms and be open to anyone dealing with grief and loss from all sources, not just those that are related to death. A tentative meeting time is Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m.
HHCJ also is sponsoring a training for anyone interested in becoming a facilitator with the children's grief support group. On Saturday, Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to noon, HHCJ bereavement facilitators will demonstrate the "Dougy" model of grief support for children, and will outline the format used in the group for the adults that accompany their children. This will be an opportunity to meet other facilitators, exchange ideas, organize upcoming groups, and learn methods of helping elementary and middle school children to process their grief after the death of a family member or friend.
A bereavement support group is not group therapy, rather it is a safe and confidential environment that can nurture and encourage the healing process. A group can provide some structure at a time when our lives seem unrecognizable, and can be an excellent place to share information and resources. Being with people who have found ways to survive and thrive after a loss can offer hope and encouragement.
For more information, please call Jean Jasmine, Volunteer and Bereavement Coordinator, at 463-6111.
• Mary Cook is a volunteer with Hospice and Home Care of Juneau, a program of Catholic Community Service. CCS serves all persons regardless of their faith.