New Denver Hospice Offers Bereavement Companioning
You may be aware that the New Denver Hospice Society provides companionship for palliative patients, including bedside support for end-of-life. The Hospice team supports families of palliative patients while they are
experiencing the stresses and demands of care-taking during the final days. New Denver Hospice also offers free bereavement companioning.
We have trained volunteers who support those experiencing loss, whether it be the palliative patient or their loved ones. The patient may be grieving the loss of health, vigor, dreams, goals or even the time they had hoped to spend with family and friends. The family may be feeling early grief and anticipating the loss of their loved one. Sharing this with a hospice companion can help in the process of grief and loss. Expressing these thoughts and feelings may allow an individual to be more present during the precious remaining time with a loved one.
Hospice companions are available as long as the grief process takes. Sessions typically occur on a weekly basis. Companions do not direct the griever but simply provide a nonjudgmental ear and a warm shoulder. It can often be helpful to share
feelings with someone unconnected to the loss. The Hospice volunteers are trained to support both “normal” grief and what is called “complicated” grief or grief after a traumatic loss.
The grief companion can offer many ideas to support the transition through grief including the creation of new rituals to honour the lost loved one. The companion is not there to encourage the griever to “move on” or “get over it” but to learn to develop a new relationship with the memories of their beloved.
If you would like more information about the Bereavement Companioning Program, contact Gina at 604-340-2186 or send an email via our contact form.