Grief Support for the Holidays

-

The holidays are just around the corner, but for many families, this year will be different, because someone they love is gone. Angela Hospice knows the holidays are an especially difficult time for people who are grieving, but our special donor-funded workshops can offer help and support for adults and children.

"During the Christmas season it's really, really hard for a child to grieve," said Debbie Vallandingham, a bereavement social worker at Angela Hospice. Debbie will lead the Children’s Holiday Workshop on Sunday, December 2, from 2-4 p.m. She said parents often want to shield their children from grief, but that can actually make it harder for children to grieve. The workshop helps to open up communication as the children work to make a holiday wreath in memory of their loved one.

Social Worker Debbie Vallandingham (right) and therapy
dog Piper with the Richards family.
"What it allows the parent and the child to do is come together in an atmosphere where they can bring up memories, and talk, and actually work on a specific project that's going to memorialize that person throughout the holiday season," Debbie said. "It draws together the adults and the children...so the kids can start letting the grownups know that it's OK to talk about the person that was lost."

For adults, navigating the holiday season while grieving can seem overwhelming. While children want the normalcy of the holidays, there's a tendency for adults to want to avoid the holidays. Our "Getting Through the Holidays" workshop for adults seeks to offer practical tips and suggestions on how to make the holidays easier, while maintaining self-care. The workshop will be offered at twice on Tuesday, November 13, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

These workshops are free and take place at Angela Hospice. Call Debbie Vallandingham at (734) 464-2683 to register for the Children's Workshop, as space is limited. For more about the adult workshop, or for information about Angela Hospice's free grief support groups and counseling, call Margaret Levine at (734) 779-6690.

Angela Hospice's grief support services are available free of charge for anyone in the community thanks to the generosity of our compassionate donors.

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 28, 2019 at 9:19 AM

    My sweet Mom passed away 1 week ago today on Feb 21, 2019. She lived with me and my husband. Due to my declining health, she was here to help me out. She was really the sweetest most generous woman. It is a privilege to be able to call her Mom. She passed so unexpectedly and suddenly, I am completely lost without her. The thought of living without her seems unbearable. How do I go on each day without this sweet, beautiful woman with a heart of gold. I am so lost without her.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Room for Brian

-
Image
   Angela Hospice's donor-supported Care Center     provided Brian with the care he needed -- and        brought his family peace of mind. The Angela Hospice Care Center has always been a community-driven labor of love. From its construction in the early 1990s; to its expansion a decade and a half later; and right through to the present, where day-to-day operations are supported by the generosity of donors and friends – the Care Center is a rare and valuable community resource made possible by Angela Hospice’s caring supporters. It’s also a godsend for families like the Wilson’s. When their son came to stay with them over Christmas last year, the brain tumor he had been determined to fight for nearly 11 years began to overcome him. At 30 years old, Brian was 6’2” and his disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer walk on his own. How would his parents take care of him in their home that was not wheelchair accessible? The Angela Hospice Care Center prov
Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Ingrid Lasley

-
Image
Name: Ingrid Lasley How long have you been a volunteer? I started volunteering about 2 ½ years ago. What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer? I cover the receptionist desk for lunch hours, which includes telephone calls. I have covered Tree of Life shifts for the past 2 years and plan to volunteer again this season. I also have been involved in numerous mailings and last year’s Walk of Remembrance. What made you decide to become a volunteer? I stopped working a few years ago and decided I could use my spare time best by volunteering. I am enjoying every minute! Why Angela Hospice? Ingrid with fellow volunteer Geri Orlowski My mother passed away in 2012 in Buffalo, NY, and after witnessing the treatment my mother received at a hospice facility there, I knew I wanted to be part of such a kind and caring group. What is your favorite part about volunteering? I have enjoyed meeting so many people who have demonstrated so many ways one can g
Read more

Detroit Catholic Central Moms Celebrate Hospice Workers During COVID-19

-
Image
A group of Detroit Catholic Central High School moms decided they wanted to do something special for our clinical staff, who have been working so hard in the midst of this stressful COVID-19 health crisis. The women coordinated with nurse Kelly Campbell, Home Care Clinical Supervisor for Angela Hospice, whose son recently graduated from Catholic Central. On Wednesday, the group set up 40 handmade signs outside our Care Center facility and along the driveway, to encourage and cheer our healthcare workers. They also tied big white ribbons around the trees to show support for front-line medical staff. Helen Balmforth, Angela Hospice Development and Special Events Manager, related that some staff members teared up when they saw what the Catholic Central moms had done. “I think, for some, it’s an emotional release to see that,” Helen explained. “I think it has a real impact on people.” The group also brought two large cases of toilet paper. Each roll is individually wrapped so staff
Read more