Caring for Families

hospiceoftheupstate

home-picBereavement Support Groups

Our Bereavement Program provides services to all hospice families for up to one year after the death of the patient. Individual counseling or support visits are available upon request.  Following are some of the bereavement services available to families; they are designed to give caring support during grief and are available to families in our community.

    Still have questions? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about our support groups.

    If you would like to speak with someone or check group availability, please contact Christy Sizemore, Bereavement Coordinator at 864-328-1950 or toll free at 1-800-261-8636.

    childrenChildren’s Grief Groups

    Children need an opportunity to express their grief in their own way in their own time.  Many times children who have experienced the death of a loved one feel isolated. The use of art, sand trays and play therapy allow children to express their grief in an environment that is welcoming and understanding of their loss.

    • Anticipatory Grief

      Our children’s grief counselor can explain the process of illness, death and funerals using age appropriate techniques and activities.

    • Bereavement

      After the death of a loved one, our children’s grief counselor focuses on the child’s unique expression of grief, coping and change. Memories are shared and explored via art, play and meaningful activities.

    Camp Sunburst

    Camp Sunburst is an annual overnight camp for bereaved children from 1st-6th grade, led by certified counselors. These children are welcomed at the Clemson Outdoor Laboratory in April for an action packed weekend. It is open to any child in the Upstate who has lost a close loved one, and has been sponsored by Hospice of the Upstate—and you!—for over 20 years!

    Through art, play, music, and peer support they are given an opportunity to share their feelings and open up in an environment that is welcoming and understanding of their loss. Recognizing that parents may need guidance in helping their children develop the “new normal” after a loss, this year Camp Sunburst included a special parents’ workshop. As the children settled into camp, parents talked and listened to answer that question “How can I help my child heal?”

    After camp, parents told us “Thank you for the information you presented…I was more comfortable leaving my child…I can tell the work you did has made a difference in their grieving process…they came away with valuable lessons…They are talking about it still!”

    If you would like more information on Camp Sunburst or on any of our Children’s programs please call Debbie Schmitz, Bereavement Coordinator, at 864-328-1950.

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    Service of Remembrance

    Each March we honor our Hospice of the Upstate patients who have passed with a Service for Remembrance. On this occasion we remember loved ones and their families. It also offers an opportunity for families, staff and volunteers to reconnect.

    Service-of-Remembrance

    Labyrinths

    We have two on-site labyrinths for use by our patients’ families and the wider community. Our canvas labyrinth is 24-feet wide and is laid out periodically in the Sadler Bereavement & Education Center and is available on loan by request. Our outside rock labyrinth is 30-feet wide and is always open. For more information, please contact us at 864-224-3358.

    “The beauty of the labyrinth walk is that it is open to anyone at any stage, on any spiritual path, and from any religious tradition.  It is a symbol open to your intentions.”

    Helen Curry