Hospice Information

• One-to-one counseling with our professional, experienced staff
• A number of bereavement sup­port groups, led by trained counselors, which meet weekly throughout all counties
• Non-denomi­national chaplains can guide you per­sonally and, if you wish, can provide spiritual comfort
• Assistance and referrals for insurance, Social Security and other everyday concerns
• Friendly phone calls from Hospice volunteers. . . just to let you know someone cares 

Question: What happens in a bereavement support group?

Answer: People talk to each other. Share their feelings. Help each other cope during the first year or so after a death. They may be concerned about an upcoming holiday, a wedding anniversary or how to just get through the week We’ve all been there before. And coping with grief, our group members say, isn’t quite as hard when others care about — and share in —your feelings.

Question: Aren't bereavement support groups only for people who have lost spouses?
Answer: No, the groups welcome anyone affected by the death of a loved one, whether it's a spouse, child, parent, sibling or friend.

Question: I'd be uncomfortable discussing my private life in a group. Is there a place for me?

Answer: While most people find that a group setting meets their needs, individual counseling also is available.

Question: How can we help our 9-year-old daughter adjust to her grandmother's death?

Answer: Death can be especially difficult and confusing for children, so we offer a special Children's Assistance Program. Our caring staff works with children individually, responding to referrals from family, friends and schools. Sometimes, a school's staff asks for individual or group counseling at school. We also teach parents how to explain death and help them decide if a child should attend a funeral.

Question: It's been a few months since my husband died. Can I still get help?

Answer: Hospice can help at any time. Many people aren't ready to work through their grief until weeks or months after the death. Sometimes, the healing process takes years. Whenever you're ready to talk, we're here to listen.

Question: No one seems to understand what we're going through since our daughter died. How can you help us?

Answer: We support a local chapter of Compassionate Friends, a group for parents who have lost a child. Many people find comfort talking to others who have similar experiences, or sharing with people who care. In any event, Hospice's counselors can help.

Question: I find it hard to talk about my father's suicide. Can hospice help me?

Answer:  Hospice sponsors a special support group for anyone dealing with a loved one's suicide. Or, if you prefer individual counseling, just ask.

Question: My wife is a hospice patient, and sometimes I find it difficult to cope with the thought of her dying. What can I do?

Answer: Bereavement counseling usually begins after the death, but we also step in before the loss if someone is having an especially difficult time. Sometimes, a family member is reminded of a death many years ago, and needs to deal with that grief in order to handle this loss.

Question: Does Hospice charge for these services?

Answer: Not at all. Our help is a free community service.

Question: How do I get started?

Hospice of Lake and Sumter, Clermont area www.hospicels.org

Gulfside Regional Hospice, New Port Richey and Dade City www.gulfsideregionalhospice.org

Hernando Pasco Hospice, Brooksville, NPR, Hudson www.hphospice.org

Tampa Hillsborough area. www.lifepath-hospice.org

Answer:
Call Hospice at 1-800-486-8784 for the office nearest you.