Bereavement Support

Over the years St Ann's Hospice has developed skills in bereavement support, involving professional staff and trained volunteers.

What is bereavement support?

Most of us need someone to talk to when someone close to us dies. Much of this support may come from friends and family. But sometimes it can help to talk to someone who is independent and who is not also grieving.

Bereavement support is offered to everyone

Phonecall
An identified family member, friend or partner will receive a telephone call from the bereavement service within six weeks of their bereavement - offering further support if needed. This service is staffed by trained volunteers.

Remembrance Service
An invitation to a remembrance service will be sent to the key family member, friend or partner.

These services are held regularly and are dedicated to the patients who have died in the Hospice recently.

The names of those remembered are read out during the service and a candle is lit in their memory.

Members of Hospice staff will be present at this service and will be available afterwards during refreshments if you want to talk.

A volunteer who has received training and supervision will be able to offer, in either your home or at the Hospice:

• An independent listening ear
• An understanding of grief and the
  difficult emotions experienced
• Confidentiality

If your issues need to be discussed in more depth, then talking to a trained counsellor may be beneficial and help you feel less isolated.

Although it is not possible to change your situation, counselling may enable you to develop ways to help you cope.

This can be arranged by contacting the Social Work Department on 0161 437 8136 (Heald Green), 0161 702 8181 (Little Hulton).

At St Ann's Hospice we have a special interest in bereavement and the implications that a significant loss can have for the whole family.

Staff at St Ann's have developed expertise in this area and a special family bereavement service is co-ordinated from the social work department to provide help for children and families.

General help and advice can be given, or if specific help for a child or family is needed, these concerns will be passed onto the social worker who is responsible for this family work.

A leaflet entitled 'Helping children and young people cope with the illness and death of someone close' has been produced as part of this service. Order a copy here.

The aim of the service is to offer on-going support during a family's personal journey of grief.

Children's Conservatory

The Social Workers at St Ann's Hospice have designed a new Children's Conservatory to help children better understand death and bereavement. It is equipped with toys and books on bereavement to help children talk about their feelings of having a relative in
St Ann's.

"With the younger children we also encourage them to make cards for the patients and draw pictures as a way of expressing their feelings," said Mandy Hagan, social worker. "We will soon have the Internet connected in the conservatory so teenagers will be able to access appropriate support sites."

"If people don't express grief, they don't start the healing process,"
explained Mandy. "There is a whole range of emotions you go through with grief and children need help to understand that, so they can come to terms with their loss."

The Community Bereavement Project started in October 2000, offering a service for South Manchester residents who are grieving as a result of loss from disease, accident and suicide. They do not need to have had any previous contact with the Hospice and can self refer.

The project offers trained volunteers to counsel and support. The telephone line is used for advice and information by clients and professionals. Contact this service on 0161 291 2905.