Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare offers bereavement services, volunteer opportunities

Staff Report
·4 min read
Ohio'a Hospice LifeCare
Ohio'a Hospice LifeCare

Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare is hosting several opportunities for those in need of bereavement services and those looking to volunteer.

Bereavement workshop on how to talk to children about death, dying and grief

Pathways of Hope Grief Counseling Center at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare is hosting How to Talk to Our Children About Death, Dying and Grief, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, at the Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare Marilyn B. and Mark E. Gustafson Center for Supportive Care, 1900 Akron Road, Wooster.

David Hargrave, LSW, CCTP, CGCS, bereavement counseling professional with Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, will lead the workshop.

While the event is free and open to the public, registration is required. To register, call 330-264-4899 or email PathwaysOfHope@lifecarehospice.org and include name, the name of the event, the date of the event,and phone number.

If anyone in the community has experienced the death of a loved one and needs grief support services, call Pathways of Hope at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare at 330-264-4899 to schedule an appointment.

Six-week adult grief group begins Sept. 14

Note: This information has been updated since it was first published Sept. 5 to correct an error. The wrong dates were listed for the Wednesday grief group.

Hospice is offering a six-week adult grief group to support adults who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The series, Faces of Grief, will meet 5:30-6:45 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 14 through Oct. 26, at the Marilyn B. and Mark E. Gustafson Center for Supportive Care at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, 1900 Akron Road, Wooster.

David Hargrave, LSW, CCTP, CGCS, bereavement counseling professional with Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, will lead the six-week adult grief group. Topics covered during the group sessions include:

• Myths About Grief• Common and Normal Grief Reactions• Different Grieving Styles• The Four Tasks of Mourning• Acknowledging the Secondary Losses• Factors That Influence the Grief Journey• Taking Care of Yourself During the Journey of Grief

The Faces of Grief group provides a safe venue for sharing experiences, discussing key challenges and learning about positive coping strategies along the grief journey. The sessions are designed to help adult grievers understand the aspects of grief, help with processing pain and help adjust to a world without a loved one.

Hargrave will lead participants in identifying and processing the various ways that grief presents itself. It is not necessary to share openly in a group setting to receive support.

While the event is free and open to the public, registration is required. To register, email PathwaysOfHope@lifecarehospice.org or call 330-264-4899.

Training for new volunteers is Sept. 19

Volunteer training will be held Monday, Sept. 19, at the Center for Supportive Care. The not-for-profit community-based hospice is seeking volunteers who are interested in supporting patients and families facing a life-limiting illness or injury.

“We are greatly in need of individuals interested in supporting our patients and families. The focus of our training is on equipping people to help terminally ill persons live their lives to the fullest for as long as possible,” said Elisa Stoyle, manager of Volunteer Services. “Through our volunteers, we look to enhance the quality of life for our patients with companionship, music, the company of certified therapy animals, and spiritual support.”

Being sought for volunteers are:

  • Military veterans who are willing to support patients who are veterans.

  • Hairstylists who are willing to offer haircuts to patients who are no longer able to leave their homes.

  • Multilingual speakers who can support patients for whom English is a second language.

  • Volunteers who can help family caregivers by giving them a break or assistance with household tasks.

  • Animal-assisted therapy volunteers who are willing to visit patients and their families.

The volunteer training addresses the following topics:

  • Preparation in hospice history and philosophy

  • Active listening and communication techniques

  • Pain and symptom control

  • Hospice care in private homes, nursing homes, and the Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare Stanley C. and Flo K. Gault Inpatient Pavilion

  • Hands-on care

  • Infection control

  • Meeting the emotional needs of dying and grieving persons

  • Spiritual care of dying and grieving persons

  • Bereavement care training.

An abbreviated training is provided for those who are interested in volunteering in a non-patient role, such as administrative support or buildings and grounds work.

“Hospice volunteering is about being a good neighbor,” Stoyle said. “It is about people of this community helping their neighbors at a critical time in their lives.”

Those interested should contact Stoyle at EStoyle@LifeCareHospice.org or 330-264-4899 or800-884-6547.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Bereavement workshops offered for children and adults