NorthBay
Hospice & Bereavement offers bereavement support groups for all
members of the community. These programs of support and counseling provide
a place to share with others who have also suffered the loss of a loved
one. Group facilitators help participants find ways they can cope with
their grief. Meetings start with a brief educational piece, leaving
time for participants to share experiences.
Adult Bereavement Group sessions
are Thursdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The group is ongoing, meeting
for six consecutive weeks followed by a two-week break. Participants
are welcome to join the group at any time during the sessions.
Please call for session dates.
All
meetings are held at NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement offices located
at 1300 Oliver Rd., Suite 210 in Fairfield.
The
group is offered as a community service. No prior association with NorthBay
Hospice is required, and there is no fee. (707) 429-7758 for more information
about the meetings.
Helping
Families and Friends Cope with Loss
Hospice
care offers more than medical care to the terminally ill. While keeping
a patient physically comfortable is a primary goal, hospice services
attend to the emotional and spiritual needs of families and friends
as well.
Hospice
continues to work with families even after the death of a patient. Volunteers
and staff members like Hospice Chaplain Jescie France and Medical Social
Worker Lorie Armijo stay in contact with families and offer bereavement
support.
Bereavement
counseling is also available to the entire community. NorthBay Hospice
counselors have formed support groups at local schools to help teens
deal with tragic deaths of fellow students. Specialized counseling has
also been offered to local organizations and businesses.
Regular
support groups are offered for children, teens and adults. The teen
and children’s support groups are scheduled at least once a year
in the spring and the fall, while the adult group is on-going. These
programs of bereavement support and counseling are offered at no charge
and provide a place to share with others who have also suffered the
loss of a loved one.
Group
facilitators help participants find ways they can cope with their grief.
Counselors help children and teens find appropriate ways to express
their feelings through art, music and writing and group discussion.
Adult
support group meetings start with a brief educational piece, leaving
time for participants to share experiences. "Hearing what others
have been through helps to confirm the normalcy of feelings," Lorie
says. "Not everyone wants to talk. It can be helpful to simply
listen."
"People
who attend are in different stages of grief. Those who’ve had a
recent loss can learn from those who have been struggling with their
grief long-term. It helps them see that light at the end of the tunnel."
If you are interested in becoming
a hospice/bereavement volunteer, please click the following link for a
listing of the opportunities available:
Hospice Volunteers
