By Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE president and CEO
At FAIRHOPE Hospice, we recognize the distinctive needs of children and families facing the profound journey of grief. Our Peace – Acceptance – Love – Support (PALS) Child, Teen and Family Grief Support program delivers compassionate and comprehensive care tailored to the emotional needs of patients and their loved ones. Understanding that grief can begin long before a loss occurs, we offer anticipatory grief support to help children and families navigate this challenging time.
Anticipatory grief involves a sense of loss and change before a loved one’s death. Our objectives during this phase include helping children and loved ones say goodbye, offering guidance in explaining to children that a loved one is dying, and creating meaningful items for funerals and memorial services. Children often take their lead from the adults around them about how to handle death. They will process what they can at their age and feel different parts of their grief as they grow and change developmentally. We prepare children for these services, remind families of their enduring bond, and collaborate with school personnel to ensure secondary support as the child resumes their daily routines following this loss.
Our bereavement support aims to help children share their thoughts and feelings about death, and normalize their feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, or guilt that comes in waves as they learn to cope. Loss changes children’s lives as well as their families. Children need to be reassured that they are safe and will be cared for, despite the recent drastic changes. Our services teach children ways to express their grief and assist them in preserving positive memories while learning to release negative ones.
To inquire about PALS or individual grief services at FAIRHOPE, visit our website or call 740-304-0869.