HELP I NEED SOMEBODY

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HELP I NEED SOMEBODY

• PRESENTERS
• DIANE SULLIVAN, GRIEF BEREAVEMENT COORDINATOR
• RUTH HILL ,PALLIATIVE SUPPORT COORDINATOR
• HOSPICE GREATER SAINT JOHN

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What We Will Cover In Todays Workshop

• Learning the various educational and therapeutic
  components.
• How to facilitate and run the program.
• Training, recruiting and supporting volunteers
  who work within the group.
• Practical information and real life stories from
  experienced Hospice professionals.

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And Now My Life Has Changed Im Not So
Self-Assured

• When someone dies, people grieve the loss and the
  changes in their life.
• People hurt physically, emotionally and
  spiritually .
• They need time to heal and someone to talk to.
• Their lives have now forever changed.

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And I Do Appreciate You Being Round

• At Hospice we provide an 8-week peer support
  grief group with trained experienced
  facilitators.
• The purpose of the grief group is to help family
  members understand what is happening, to
  normalize their feelings as well as give them
  strength/skills to live life differently
• As well the support and sharing of others who are
  also experiencing loss is very helpful in coping
  with their loss.
• They realize they are not alone on this journey.

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Help Me Get My Feet Back On The Ground

• How do our trained facilitators at Hospice run a
  peer support Grief Group ?
• With lots of understanding listening.
• Respect for one another.
• Not giving advice.
• Allowing the participants to just be.
• Providing the participants with helpful
  information that will aid them on their journey
  through grief.
• By providing a safe place and safe space to share
  and learn from others.

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How Does Grief Support Help

• Both sides of the brain play a role in processing
  the death of a loved one.
• The left brain focuses on the what of an
  emotional message. The right brain focuses on the
  how it feels. The left side of the brain heals
  more quickly with information that enhances
  understanding of what is happening. The right
  side of the brain retains the emotions of grief
  much longer and requires creative therapies to
  release emotion and facilitate healing.

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• This support group is designed to support healing
  in both sides of the brain and provides both
  information and education to help people
  understand What is happening and activities
  that help them deal with their emotions.

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Sample of Eight Week AgendaFinding My
WayWednesdays 7pm to 9 pm

• Session 1 Registration/Agenda/Program
• Overview Go around Lighting of Memorial
  Candle
• Specific Grief Reactions/Feelings Diane
• Session 2 Go Around- Lighting of Candle Video
• Coping With the Loss of a Loved One Gail
• Session 3 Go Around Lighting of Candle
• Sharing Mementos Beth
• Video Dash
• Session 4 Go Around Lighting of Candle
• Anniversaries, Holidays Special Occassions
  Jane
• Video Coping with The Holidays

• Session 5 Go Around Lighting of Candle
• Caring for the Spirit Part 1 Scrapbooking
  Sarah
• Session 6 Go Around Lighting of
• Candle
• Relationships How They Change Ivan
• Session 7 Go Around Lighting of Candle
• Caring for the Spirit Part 2 Mandelas
  Diane
• Session 8 Go Around Lighting of Candle
• Moving Through Ivy
• Video Celebrate What Is Right With The World
• Evaluations

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The Role of Support Groups

• Peer support groups are an effective way to help
  people heal bring back their zest for life.
• It is a safe non-judgemental place to do the
  work of healing.
• We allow participants to explore their thoughts
  feelings in a way that helps them be
  compassionate with themselves.

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• We offer encouragement to support continued
  meaning in life and living.
• Support groups encourage members to support and
  understand other bereaved people.
• It helps them trust again in what, for many
  dealing with grief feels like their in an unsafe
  and uncaring world.

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LEADERSHIP ROLES

• As a group leader, your role is to facilitate,
  literally to make easier, purposeful discussion
  about the grief journey of participants.
• Sensitive, skilled leadership is of vital
  importance to fulfilling the goal of the group.
• Tasks of a grief support leader are
• Planning leading meetings
• Listening with openness a caring spirit
• Understanding facilitating group process
• Learning about effective group leadership
• Evaluating the group process

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Suggestions for Facilitating a Successful Grief
Support Group

• Plan Each Session
• Have a Routine
• Be Sensitive to Difference Among Members
• Define Your Leadership Style
• Keep In Mind That Every Group Has Its Own Unique
  Requirements
• A Good Leader Is Never Rigid

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Now Ive Changed My Mind And Opened Up the Doors

• Through the eight week sessions this group has
  started to open the door and move toward trust,
  reaching out to one another and in most cases
  growth.
• Reflecting on and affirming the growth that they
  have experienced in this group is of vital
  importance.
• Saying goodbye to each other as a group and
  supporting hopes for continued healing of wounds
  should be focused on as you bring your support
  group to an end.

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What Best Describes a Grief Support Volunteer?

• Someone who takes the time to listen.
• Someone who is compassionate and understanding.
• Being able to be open-minded and non-judgemental
• Lets the person grieving do the talking or be
  willing to accept their silence remember its
  about their loss and not about you and your
  stories.
• Acknowledge and appreciate their grief.
• Respect the confidentially of all members of the
  group.
• Have a willing and giving heart.
• Remember the gift of you as a Hospice Volunteer
  and how you treat the person will long remain
  with them after they walk out the door.

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How To Start A Peer-Support Group

• All grief support volunteers must attend the
  30-hour General Hospice Training Program followed
  by additional grief support training.
• This includes their attendance at an 8-week Grief
  Support Program as a participant/assistant/observe
  r.
• Support the effective delivery of the grief
  support programs as directed by the Hospice Grief
  Coordinator.
• A commitment to continuous education through
  self-learning, books, videos and material from
  the Hospice library and/or attending any local
  conferences or educational sessions.
• Attend and participate in occasional grief
  training sessions offered by Hospice.

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• Attend both the grief group planning and
  de-briefing meetings.
• Deliver the designed educational components in
  keeping with the Hospice standards and policies.
• Establish supportive relationships with group
  participants.
• Communicate questions or information pertaining
  to families to the Hospice Grief Coordinator.
• Acknowledge and appreciate their grief. You are
  doing your Hospice work with a willing and giving
  heart.

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• You share yourselves and your hearts which is an
  essential component in the Hospice Grief
  Bereavement Volunteer Group. Acknowledge and
  appreciate their grief as they come to you for
  comfort, understanding and trust.
• Remember - how you treat the person that has had
  the loss will remain with them long after they
  walk out that door.