Suffolk hospice launches online service to help with bereavement

St Elizabeth Hospice in Suffolk has launched a free online bereavement support service after receiving a grant from Hospice UK.

LivingGrief will initially be hosted for six standalone sessions, aiming to support anyone in East Suffolk who is bereaved, even if they have had no previous contact with the hospice. It will also see the hospice extend its services by providing webinars, training and practical tools to help community groups and care homes with bereavement.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of technology such as Zoom in enabling communities to help one another. Katherine Grogan, Emotional Wellbeing Team Lead and Counsellor at St Elizabeth Hospice, explains: “We understand initiating conversations about death and bereavement is very difficult but often by not talking many people can be left feeling isolated, especially during the unusual circumstances brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Enabling support through technology

“We’ve developed our online LivingGrief Sessions to enable as many people as possible in our community to have access to bereavement information, and support to ensure nobody is left feeling isolated” Katherine adds.

“People experience grief in different ways and there is no right or wrong way to feel, but through LivingGrief we want to bring people together and let them know they are not alone and we are here to help, to listen and to talk whenever needed.”

The sessions provide users with information on what may they experience during bereavement as well as offering guidance on how to support one another through grief. During the sessions participants will also be able to speak to other people living through similar experiences.