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Bereavement Services
“An affliction of the heart may be physical, as well as spiritual. Always, it is the whole person who must be healed. For what hurts one part hurts the whole.”
Alla Bozarth Campbell
Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of someone close. But it can be frightening, painful and isolating. It can be normal to feel shock and numbness, confusion and anxiety, anger, guilt and sadness.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Your relationship with the person you’ve lost was unique. In the same way, you will grieve in a way that is unique to you.
At Compton Hospice, we offer support and counselling to relatives after the death of a loved one, and the opportunity to talk to someone who understands.
“I am so happy I contacted the service; you helped me a great deal. I didn’t think I would ever get over my loss. Day by day I manage, some days are good, some days are bad. Thank you very much for your support.”
There is no time limit on grief. As time passes, a lot of people expect the feelings of loss to fade. But there may still be times of immense sorrow - perhaps around a special date.
Even if you haven’t contacted us for a period of time, we can still offer support in times of need.
This service is offered free-of-charge. Anything discussed with hospice staff will remain confidential within the ethical guidelines of the hospice. This will be discussed with you when you contact us.
“I appreciated the non-judgemental approach of my visitor. She showed great empathy, which is so much more useful than sentimental sympathy. Sheencouraged me through the different stages of grieving and made me feel normal - for a grieving widow anyway.”
Who we can help
If your loved one had any connection with Compton Hospice, through home care, ward staff, the hospice medical team, or any other Macmillan nurse service, you can contact us for support.
“It helped to talk to someone outside of the family, and helped to lift a great deal of the worry and move on.”
What we offer
It is often easier to talk to someone outside your family and friends, to open up honestly and share your fears, emotions and memories.
Our qualified counsellors and carefully selected volunteer bereavement visitors are trained in listening skills and issues around grief. They will not offer advice or solutions but will listen without judging, offer emotional support, and enable you to reach your own resolutions.
You could talk to a bereavement visitor in your own home or in a quiet, private room at the hospice.
Or, you can share your experience with a group of people who have experienced a similar loss, whether it be a parent, partner, sibling or child.
“The Bereavement Service was wonderful, and helped me cope during a very difficult time. The Bereavement Visitor had a very good understanding of how I felt.”
How we support children
Because children can’t always express their emotions easily, understanding how they are dealing with grief can be difficult.
It is common for children to want to be strong for their family, and it can be difficult for them to know who to turn to when they need support.
Our specialist families’ bereavement support workers talk to children one-to- one, and with their families, to help them work together through their shared grief.
They use puppets, games and art to help children express their feelings, and special memory jars and memory boxes to remember the person they’ve lost.
They can also support families in learning how to communicate better together.
“Having used the service for both myself and my daughter, I think it was a vital part of our grieving process, helping us both to deal with matters more easily and quickly."
Available now, “Talking with Bereaved people – An Approach for Structured and Sensitive Communication” written by Dodie Graves, Bereavement Services Co-ordinator at Compton Hospice
Click HERE to view more information and ordering
Contact us
To talk to someone about how we can help, or to request a free brochure on the support services available, ask for the Bereavement Services Co-ordinator.
Call 0845 225 5497.
Other services you might like to consider:
- Complementary Therapies
- Memorial Services
- Spiritual Support
If you have any further questions about Compton Hospice and Services/Medical, please call 0845 225 5497 or contact us. We will do our utmost to help with your enquiry.
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