Bereavement.

ABOUT BEREAVEMENT

Grief is a natural response to the death of a loved one or friend. The death of someone you love is one of the greatest losses that can occur. We all feel grief in our own way – there is no right or wrong way to feel. It is important that you let yourself grieve as much and as long as you need to.

There are many emotions that you may feel – denial, anger, guilt, sadness, anxiety or fear. In time these feelings will pass as you adjust to a different way of life. Also, you may be concerned about how other family members or friends are coping with their loss.

There are practical, legal and financial matters to deal with that you may not have thought about before.

We are here to support you during this time of change. Talk to us when we visit or call the office on 5991 1300 to arrange for one of our trained staff to contact you to talk about our Bereavement Support Program.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM

Palliative Care South East provides a Bereavement Support Program which can assist carers and family members to cope with the significant changes they may experience following the death of their loved one.

Our support program is run by our qualified and experienced team who will assist you. Bereavement support may be provided by a Social Worker, Counsellor, Music Therapist, Bereavement Volunteer or Spiritual Care Worker.

We will offer support and referrals to assist you to deal with practical matters such as completing paperwork, obtaining financial assistance and linking you to community support.

We will assess the psychological impact of illness and death for the carer and family members and help you to explore your feelings. Your care starts from the first visit from our team and continues into Bereavement care.

The Bereavement Support Program is available for 13 months following the death of a loved one and is free of charge. The program is available to family members and carers.

BEREAVEMENT SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUP

Palliative Care South East knows it can be difficult to adjust to a life without your loved one or friend. We run a monthly Bereavement Social Support Group for bereaved carers to meet and enjoy some social time together. The group meets monthly for lunch. Participants are encouraged to support one another by sharing stories of how they are coping – what helps, how they are finding a way forward and reinventing themselves in a world without their partner, family member or friend. The group is run by a Palliative Care South East team member and several volunteers.

Plans are underway to expand this support to include a walking group.
Contact us if you would like to join the group
Phone 03 5991 1300
Email reception@palliativecarese.org.au

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

Palliative Care South East also provides support through the biannual Remembrance Service. We invite family and friends of our clients to come together to remember their loved one and to celebrate their life. We hold the Services in May and November of each year.