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“Although the world is full of sorrow,
it is full also of the overcoming of it.”
- Helen Keller
Principles of Grief
Grief is a normal, natural and healthy response to loss. The intensity, duration and experiences of grief are unique to each person.
Grief is a lifelong process that continues to change. It has ebbs, flows and takes surprising turns over time.
We all have the capacity to heal from loss. Those who accept the process and have support enhance their ability to recover from the pain of grief.
While grieving, it is normal to experience any of the following:
- Shock and disbelief
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Distraction, frequent thoughts about the deceased or
what happened
- Fatigue, even after getting enough sleep
- Sleeplessness and anxiety
- Nausea or tightness in the throat or upper chest
- Changes in appetite
- Waves of intense emotion; longing, loneliness, despair,
anger, or sorrow
- Thoughts about the meaning of life and one’s mortality
Bereavement Support Programs & Services
- Peer Support Groups for Adults and Children in Collaboration
with ACHHH
- Individual Bereavement Support through the Living with
Loss Bereavement Volunteer Program
- Compassionate Care after Miscarriage, Still Birth and
Infant Death
- Training and Support for Caregivers and Hospice Care
Professionals
- The Phoenix Group, a monthly social pot-luck
gathering of widowed people
- Community Outreach to Schools and Organizations
- Educational Presentations and “In-Services”
including the Annual Living with Grief Teleconference, produced
by the Hospice Foundation of America
- An Annual Candle Lighting Service of Remembrance, in
Collaboration with Addison County Home Health & Hospice
- Free Resource Materials and a Lending Library
- Referrals to Mental Health Professionals
When normal grief becomes complicated
Children Grieve Too
- Young people have an innate wisdom and drive that can
help them find their way through difficult times.
- Each child will have a different pace and way of finding
their course through the grief process.
- Children appreciate the truth. Use words appropriate
to their age and understanding. Let them be a part of what is going
on. They will trust you and not have to make up stories on their own
which could be worse.
- In general, children like to stay engaged in their regular
activities.
- Children cope with loss better when the adults in their
lives get support for themselves. Find other people who can help you
and your children. Let their school know what is happening so they may
be supportive as well.
- As they grow, children and teens are continually developing
new skills and awareness that help them gain deeper understanding of
their losses.
- When a child or teen speaks about wanting to die or taking
his/her own life, it’s important to take it seriously.
- Children of all ages are naturally curious about death and intuitively know that it is part of the life cycle. It’s helpful to answer their questions about death, loss and grief in a matter-of-fact way from the earliest age.
“A Video Essay on Teenage Grief”
This 2-Part DVD and Study Guide,
produced by Hospice Volunteer Services in 2007, is a valuable grief resource
and educational tool. It is designed to reach and support teenagers who
are grieving and the adults who care about them. Considering that 90%
of children in the United States experience the death of a loved one by
age 18, the magnitude of this population comes into clear focus. We share
this educational resource with both teenagers and adults in the hope that
it will stimulate meaningful dialogue.
This DVD costs $20, and is available from Hospice Volunteer
Services by calling 802/388-4111.
A Companion Study Guide is available
by clicking here
[288 KB, pdf]
The
information on this page is available as a color brochure by clicking
here
[1.7 MB, pdf]