Bereavement Follow Up
Grieving is a complicated process. It is well documented that the bereaved tend to be physically and mentally at greater health risk than the general population. In keeping with the hospice commitment to care for the family as well as the patient, the bereavement program administers care beyond the life of the patient. Family members and friends receive telephone contacts, personal visits and timely information from Hospice of Texarkana for one full year. They are also invited to participate in ongoing support services such as: Beyond Grief (adults); The Good Grief Club (for children); Caregiver's Luncheon; and/or The Prayer Shawl Group.

Grief Support Groups - open to the community
Groups begin May 1st and July 10th
"Beyond Grief" is a support group for adults who have lost a loved one. This group is offered six times a year and is held once a week for six, consecutive weeks. The service is free of charge. Call 903-794-4263 to schedule your participation. Ask for Amy or Andrea.

Good Grief Club
To address their unique needs, a support group is available for children and adolescents. The Good Grief Club is held in area schools, typically during the school day. Peer groups, from K-12th grades, meet once a week for six-weeks with their school counselor and a Bereavement Counselor from Hospice of Texarkana. Meeting with other students helps decrease the isolation often felt by grieving children, as they learn that others have also experienced loss. Leaders have the students do activities with the goal of helping them identify feelings caused by grief, learning ways to deal with those feelings, and identifying trustworthy people in their lives who they can talk with about those feelings. This resource is provided to schools at no cost. Have your child's school counselor call to coordinate a Good Grief Club on behalf of a child in your life.

Caregiver's Luncheon
Meeting every six weeks, this group provides caregivers with fellowship and support. Volunteers are provided to care for patients during the activity. Hospice's staff provides the meal and visits with current and former caregivers.

Pet Therapy
Two certified pet therapy dogs and their owner visits patients upon request.

Grief in the Workplace
Serious illness or death of a co-worker or member of their family can affect the workplace. Hospice of Texarkana offers a program to guide workers through the grieving process and help promote healing in the work environment. Managers are encouraged to call Amy at 903-794-4263 for more information.

Individualized Pastoral Care
Patients and families desiring spiritual support receive one-on-one services from trained, certified chaplains who have completed special hospice training. They will visit homes, assisted living facilities and in the hospital.

Ethics Committee
Advances in medical technology have given us so many choices that sometimes the decisions are difficult to make. The ethics committee is available to help look at the "hard choices" and take into account what the law says, what our values are, and how similar issues have been resolved in the past. They make recommendations to the family to assist in making decisions.