CARING FOR THOSE IN GRIEF DURING THE HOLIDAYS

On November 23, 2013, Center for Hospice Care held their Annual Memorial Service for the families of patients they have served. This year’s service incorporated a Tree of Life and memorial bells generously donated by Byles MacDougall Funeral Services and Tuthill Farm and Nursery. 

There were nearly 100 family members in attendance. It was a truly touching service in which over 500 names of patients served by Center for Hospice Care were read while their loved ones walked to the front of the sanctuary to select a memorial flower and place an ornament on the Tree. The flowers were generously donated by Big Y Supermarkets, Forever Flowers and Holdridge Home and Garden Showplace.

The Tree of Life now resides at Center for Hospice Care’s office in Norwich where it will continue to serve as a place where families can honor the memory of their loved ones. As Bereavement Counselor, Antonio Okosky states, “Grief is not simply a reaction to death but a reaction to the changes encountered by an individual, family, or community following the loss. Subsequently, holidays are often difficult for anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. In understanding this, Center for Hospice Care offers specific holiday support groups and workshops free of charge to assist our families and members of our community in managing their grief at this significant time of year.”

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013, Center for Hospice Care will host a Holiday Remembrance Workshop open to the entire community free of charge. At this workshop, participants will create a special ornament in memory of their loved one. This session will provide participants opportunities to express their thoughts and feelings within an emotionally safe, supportive, and creative environment. Sharing treasured memories with fellow participants during and after the creative process can bring comfort and a sense of connection to others who understand what it is like to experience a great sense of loss through the death of a loved one and the importance of paying tribute to their memory.

If you would like to participate in the Holiday Remembrance Workshop please RSVP by Friday, December 13, 2013 at 860-848-5699, by email at lbradley@hospicesect.org or online at www.hospicesect.org.