Patient/Care Partner Resources

(Topic included on this page:

  • Grief
  • Depression: Grief and Clinical Depression, Complicated Grief, Grief Resources for Hospital Patients, General Grief Website)
  • Bereavement Materials
  • Support Group Resources (GriefShare)
  • Pediatric Bereavement Services (Websites, Workbooks, Books)
  • Pregnancy Loss Resources

Grief

The Basics: Coping with Grief and Loss

As a griever, you have rights no one should violate or take away from you. Living through grief is an important part of healing. The grieving path is different for each one of us, and your path is something no one has the right to impede upon. Your pathway through grief is what you need to experience to find your way through it and on to living a full life after the loss of someone you love.

Below is a list of your rights meant to empower you in your journey through the healing process. This list is intended to enable you to understand the importance of your right to grieve.

The Grieving Person’s Bill of Rights

  1. You have the right to experience your own unique No one else will grieve the same way you do.
  2. You have the right to talk about your Talking about your grief will help you heal. Seek out others who will allow you to talk as much as you want, as often as you want, about your grief.
  3. You have the right to feel many Confusion, disorientation, fear, guilt and relief are just a few of the emotions you might feel as part of your journey of grief. Find listeners who will accept your feelings without conditions.
  4. You have the right to be tolerant of your physical and emotional Your feelings of loss and sadness will probably leave you feeling fatigued. Respect what your body and mind are telling you. Get daily rest. Eat balanced meals.
  5. You have the right to experience grief “attacks.” Sometimes ,out of nowhere, a powerful surge of grief may overcome you. This can be frightening but it is normal and natural. Find someone who understands and will let you talk it
  6. You have the right to make use of The funeral ritual does more than acknowledge the death of someone loved. It helps provide you with the support of caring people. More important, the funeral is a way for you to mourn.
  7. You have the right to embrace your If faith is part of your life, express it in ways that seem appropriate to you. Allow yourself to be around people who understand and support your religious beliefs. If you feel angry at God, find someone to talk with who won’t be critical of your feelings of hurt and abandonment.
  8. You have the right to search for You may find yourself asking “Why did he or she die? Why this way? Why now?” Some of your questions may have answers, but some may not.
  9. You have the right to treasure your Memories are one of the best legacies that exist after the death of someone loved. You will always remember.  Instead of ignoring your memories, find others with whom you can share them.
  10. You have the right to move towards your grief and Reconciling your grief will not happen quickly. Remember, grief is a process, not an event. Be patient and tolerant with yourself.

© By Alan D. WolfeIt, PhD, Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition, Ft. Collins, CO

Depression

Grief and Clinical Depression

Distinguishing between grief and clinical depression isn’t always easy as they share many symptoms, but there are ways to tell the difference. Remember, grief can be a roller coaster. It involves a wide variety of emotions and a mix of good and bad days. Even when you’re in the middle of the grieving process, you will have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, on the other hand, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant.

Other symptoms that suggest depression, not just grief:

  • Intense, pervasive sense of guilt
  • Thoughts of suicide or a preoccupation with dying
  • Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
  • Slow speech and body movements
  • Inability to function at work, home, and/or school
  • Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there

It’s normal to feel sad, numb, or angry following a loss. But as time passes, these emotions should become less intense as you accept the loss and start to move forward. If you aren’t feeling better over time, or your grief is getting worse, it may be a sign that your grief has developed into a more serious problem, such as complicated grief or major depression.

Complicated Grief

The sadness of losing someone you love never goes away completely, but it shouldn’t remain center stage. If the pain of the loss is so constant and severe that it keeps you from resuming your life, you may be suffering from a condition known as complicated grief. Complicated grief is like being stuck in an intense state of mourning. You may have trouble accepting the death long after it has occurred or be so preoccupied with the person who died that it disrupts your daily routine and undermines your other relationships.

Symptoms of complicated grief include:

  • Intense longing and yearning for the deceased
  • Intrusive thoughts or images of your loved one
  • Denial of the death or sense of disbelief
  • Imagining that your loved one is alive
  • Searching for the person in familiar places
  • Avoiding things that remind you of your loved one
  • Extreme anger or bitterness over the loss
  • Feeling that life is empty or meaningless

If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of complicated grief, please know there is help available. Acknowledging your need for bereavement support is an important step toward healing. Contact your local hospice provider to find out about bereavement services, or you may call the social work department at (410) 550-0292 or the palliative care department and ask to speak with the Palliative Care Social Worker.

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

Grief Resources for Hospital Patients

  • On-site grief counselors or social workers: These professionals can provide emotional support, answer questions, and help patients and their families navigate the grieving.
  • Spiritual or religious support: Chaplains or other spiritual leaders can provide comfort and support to patients and their grief.
  • Grief hotline or helpline: A dedicated phone line for patients and their families to call for support.

General Grief Website:   Maryland Health: Pages – Grief and Loss Resources

Bereavement Materials

  • Accentcare Hospice 1-888-523-6000
  • Capital Carin 1-844-447-4383
  • Chesapeake Life Center 1-888-501-7077
  • Gilchrist Hospice 1-888-823-8880
  • Hopewell Cancer Support 410-832-2719
  • Roberta’s House 410-235-6633

Support Group Resources

GriefShare: multiple local groups with virtual options

  • Professional/Clinical: Individual or group counseling is provided by a trained and licensed professional (counselor, therapist, social worker or psychologist). A trained professional may use a variety of therapeutic techniques during sessions to help you develop coping skills and process your grief.
  • Peer Support Groups: Peer led groups are typically led by an individual who has lost a loved one, usually several years ago, and is considered to have gone through the grieving process. Grief support groups may be organized based on the relative a person has lost (child, parent or spouse) so that all participants have a shared experience. Peer support groups can range in structure from developing new coping skills to open sharing of stories.
  • Faith Based Groups: These groups focus on the integration of faith, along with support and guidance, to move through the grief process. Sessions may include the exploration of how spirituality helps in the mourning process. It may be beneficial to work through your grief with people whose values or belief systems are similar to yours.
  • Hospice Resources

Pediatric Bereavement Services

The Pediatric Life Journey Program was developed to offer support and guidance to parents and family members following the death of a child. The program provides educational resources to families to enhance coping skills and hosts an annual remembrance service to honor the lives of their children.

Websites

  • Sesame Street
    A variety of resources and activities, including kits and videos for children of various age groups.

Workbooks

  • Close to My Heart: A Guided workbook for Children After a Loved One Dies
    Author: M.D. Susan Foley
    (Pre-school to school-age)
    Colorful workbook, works through magical thinking, memories, some pages just to read and others to do work on.
  • When Someone Very Special Dies
    Author: Marge Heegaard
    (School-age to pre-teen. Some pages could be used with younger children as well)
    Discusses change and the finality death and gives space to help process these concepts. Says that some people believe in God and briefly outlines some thoughts of afterlife. Discusses various emotions that are normal to feel.

Books

  • Gentle Willow: A Story for Children about Dying
    Author: Joyce C. Mills
    (School age)
    A squirrel is friends with a little tree. They admire a big willow tree across the pond. The squirrel befriends the willow, who then gets sick. The squirrel tries to help by inviting tree wizards, but they could not fix the willow. Encourages the squirrel to sing songs and comfort the willow as she dies. Discusses the special memories that they have of the willow. Uses another story about a caterpillar changing into a butterfly to help ease the willow’s fears of dying.

Pregnancy Loss Resources

Bereaved Parents of the USA: Maryland has two chapters that facilitate groups, contact your local chapter for virtual options

The Compassionate Friends: There are three chapters in Maryland and D.C., contact your local chapter for virtual options​​​

Loss & Grief in Pregnancy & Postpartum | Postpartum Support International (PSI): https://www.postpartum.net/get-help/loss-grief-in-pregnancy-postpartum/

Grief & Infant Loss Resources | Safe to Sleep®: https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/resources/infant-loss

Free Perinatal Grief Support Groups – Children’s Bereavement Center: https://childbereavement.org/support-groups/adult-groups/perinatal-loss.html

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/