Bereavement
The trained professionals at Meadowlark Hospice provide support and help prepare family and friends for the death of their loved one. Hospice care continues after your loved one passes. Meadowlark Hospice provides bereavement support for the family and friends after the loss occurs. Bereavement care is tailored to the needs of the one receiving the care.
"Grief is not a problem to be solved. It is simply a statement that you have loved someone."
- Author Unknown
There are options available to the loved ones to help them during their grief journey.
- Pathways through Grief mailings series during the first year after the loss
- Visits or phone calls from the hospice social worker and/or chaplain
- Individual and Family Counseling
- Volunteer Visits
- Tree of Light Ceremony
- Memorial Ceremony
- Bereavement Support Groups that focus on learning about loss and grief
If at any time you need assistance with the grief process, Meadowlark Hospice staff is available to assist you. Please call our office at (785) 632-2225.
"I pushed against the pain the terrible sadness the dreaded despair.
I said, ‘This is no way to live. Life is too short. to be victorious I will rise above the pain.’
But loss said, ‘This is no way to live. Life is too short to pretend it doesn’t hurt.
To be victorious go through the pain toward the promise."
Grief Journey
Grief is unique for each person! There are no absolute stages or timetables everyone must go through during their grief journey.
Stage One: Feelings may include shock, numbness, and disbelief. We may feel the loss is unreal. We may be on “automatic pilot”- just going through the motions. This gets us through funeral arrangements, visitors, paperwork, etc. This stage sometimes lasts one-three months.
Stage Two: Feelings of numbness and shock may begin to wear off. We begin the difficult journey of understanding our loss is real. We may still be looking for our deceased loved one to come back into our life again. Family and Friends don’t visit as often, and may begin to pressure us to get back to “normal” life. This stage generally takes place about the third month after loss.
Stage Three: We allow ourselves to experience the pain of grief in all of its forms. These difficult periods are NORMAL- not a set-back or lack of progress! This third stage sometimes lasts the fourth-twelfth months.
Stage Four: We begin to experience more good days than bad days. We identify how our environment has changed and begin to develop new roles, routines, and skills in response to the changes. Significant anniversaries may still affect us and challenge us. This stage is often experienced during the second year.
Stage Five: We choose to say “yes” to life again. We no longer focus as much energy on the loss, and find renewed energy. We understand we will be able to live a happy, full life again, although it will always be different than before the loss.