Published: July 31, 2023
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When you lose a loved one, it can feel like you’re on a roller coaster of emotion—sometimes wrestling with anger, guilt, denial, anxiety, sadness (and even despair), all on the same day. It’s also common to have physical reactions to your grief, like changes in your appetite or having trouble sleeping. Fortunately, there’s a resource to help you navigate the ups, downs, twists, and turns of the grieving process. Designed to help you work through the complex issues associated with loss, bereavement services lend you extra support during one of life’s most challenging times.
What are bereavement services?
Bereavement is the term used for the period of sadness and mourning that follows a death. It’s important to realize that grief isn’t linear, and everyone experiences it differently.
Hospice care extends beyond the physical aspects of caring for the terminally ill. It also includes a comprehensive support system for grieving individuals and families. Bereavement services offer a lifeline during one of the most challenging times in their lives.
These services may include providing access to the following:
- Counseling. Bereavement counselors can help you process the emotional and physical effects of grief.
- Grief education. Learning about grief helps you understand your emotions, so you can find healthy ways to cope. From exercising, meditating, and journaling to spending time in nature, a bereavement program will help you focus on self-care, which can feel like an impossible task while grieving.
- Memorial services and remembrances. Embrace the healing power of memories by engaging in activities that celebrate your loved one’s life. Creating memory boxes filled with mementos, looking through photo albums, revisiting favorite places, and sharing stories with others who knew them are all great ways to heal and honor their memory.
- Peer support. One of the best ways to deal with grief is to find understanding, support, and comfort from people who care about you. In addition to reaching out to family and friends, connecting with a group bereavement program can connect you with people who have experienced similar losses. This gives opportunities to learn from one another, share stories, and feel less alone.
Why are bereavement services important?
Coping with grief is hard. It doesn’t come with a manual. Even if it did, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The grieving process is also personal and unique to every individual. However, there are steps you can take to manage grief, and bereavement services can be your springboard to the resources, connections, and coping skills you need to get through this challenging time, and ultimately, start to feel like yourself again.
A 2021 study shows that bereavement services can reduce anxiety, depression, and grief. And there are many other meaningful benefits like:
- Coping strategies. Bereavement services teach practical coping techniques to help you manage grief. These strategies include relaxation exercises, self-care practices, and stress reduction techniques.
- Healing and personal growth. With the help of bereavement services, you can progress in your healing journey, finding hope and meaning amid grief. In fact, research shows that experiencing grief often leads to personal growth.
- Long-term support. Grief has no specific timeline, and bereavement services often offer ongoing support. This continued support can help you navigate anniversaries, holidays, and other challenging moments.
- Normalization and validation. Bereavement support helps normalize the grieving process by acknowledging that grief is a natural response to loss—easing feelings of guilt, isolation, or shame.
You’ll have a whole team by your side
Healing takes time, but it is possible to find peace and move forward with the right support. If you or someone you know is struggling with grief, it’s okay to ask for help. Contacting a bereavement service provider is an important first step toward a brighter tomorrow.
At Traditions Health, our bereavement support team works hard every day to provide the compassionate care your family deserves. You can count on us every step of the way for a listening ear, sound advice, or a shoulder to cry on.