What Bereavement Support Does Hospice Provide Families?

Jan 27, 2025

A Dedicated Hospice Care Team

What are Bereavement Services

Bereavement is the state one enters after experiencing loss. When experiencing bereavement it’s often difficult to ask for support, which can make managing grief more difficult.

Bereavement support is a part of hospice care that is provided to the grieving family. Hospice care provides support for the patient, but also the family during the last days, and long after. Families have opportunities to take advantage of different bereavement services and are encouraged to take part and engage with these helpful resources.  Bereavement isn’t just about moving on from a loved one. These services act as a path to continue life and celebrate loved ones long after death.

Different Bereavement Resources

The bereavement stage looks different for everyone. There is no one-size-fits-all grieving process. Speaking with a bereavement coordinator will help you understand what resources are available. Bereavement can come in the form of visitations, support groups, community resources, cards, birthday memorials, holiday support, educational support, and more. These services are designed to point grieving family members in the direction of healing and to continue celebrating.

Patient-Centered, Family-Focused Compassionate Care
Routine Hospice Home Care

Bereavement Support During Hospice

Bereavement support doesn’t just begin after the death of a loved one. Hospice provides support for family members during the earlier stages of hospice care too. Oftentimes when watching a loved one go through hospice care we experience what is called anticipatory grief. This style of grief can be just as difficult to process as the grief following a loss and shouldn’t be ignored. Some ways family members can receive support for anticipatory grief include speaking with a spiritual leader, meeting with social workers, and attending support groups. Talking with a hospice team member can be a helpful place to start as they can provide a path to receiving support.

Hospice bereavement support is common but rarely spoken about. While family members who have a loved one in hospice care often want to appear strong holding in emotions can have the opposite effect. By leaning into bereavement care you can accept support.

Counseling and Bereavement Groups

Bereavement care has many forms, but family members often find support groups to be helpful during their grief journey. Support groups have the unique ability to help us open up. As we learn from each other’s experiences we see that each grief stage is a normal part of the process. Support groups can provide real-life examples and clarity in ways we wouldn’t otherwise understand.  Group sessions provide support by giving us the tools for our grief journey. Participants of bereavement groups find reassurance in their shared experiences allowing them to move through the grieving process. Bereavement support staff can provide information on individual counseling as well.

Long-Term Bereavement Resources

Part of bereavement support includes the continued celebration of a loved one. Bereavement resources can include points of contact during holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and other difficult times. This can be in the form of a card, a phone call, or a memorial service. Some bereavement services can be in person if you choose.

Sometimes after the loss of a loved one, we experience the feeling that life continues too quickly. With bereavement assistance, we focus on the present and don’t expect anyone to rush through their grief. Bereavement support can last many months and can help gauge your grieving experience. A bereavement staff member can provide additional resources at any point if you feel they will be helpful or necessary. Accepting that grief is a normal part of the bereavement state permits you to let go of the pain but still express your love and joy for the one you have lost.

Grief Counseling & Therapy

Hospice care workers and bereavement support staff can provide helpful resources to family members and connect them with counselors. While many think of counseling as something that begins after experiencing loss, the process can begin when your loved one enters hospice. Grief isn’t a linear process with a specific order of steps. By entering grief counseling before the death of a loved one you have additional support throughout the most difficult times of this journey.

Therapy can be one-on-one with a therapist and give you a safe space to openly express your emotions without judgment. Family therapy is offered as a way to walk through grief together. While grief impacts us all differently, in some circumstances processing this as a family unit can be extremely beneficial. For any information on bereavement and grief counseling contact Bayou City Hospice.

Support for The Whole Family

Bereavement doesn’t just impact those who are closest to the patient. Children of all ages experience the confusion of grief. While some children may do well in family counseling individual child therapy can be a great help. Speak with your hospice contact to learn more about how bereavement services can support your entire family.

Hospice Services

Bayou City Hospice specializes in home visitation health care. Often during the final stages of life patients are taken care of by their family members, and hospice care is a way to support them. Depending on the needs of the patient we create an individualized care plan. Our goals are to reduce stress, manage pain, and increase their quality of life. We provide home visits, temporary inpatient hospice care, bereavement services, short-term respite care, continuous care, and more. Entering a family member into hospice care can be a difficult step, but with the help of a hospice care team, you can focus more on positive quality time with your loved one.

Bayou City Hospice Care & Bereavement Support

If you have a loved one that requires hospice care contact Bayou City Hospice. We can provide you with more information on our services and discuss whether we are the right fit for your loved one’s needs. We implement a patient-focused style of care that allows us to continuously provide the best service.