Delta Hospice will be starting a new series of sessions to aid children in coping with the death of a loved one.
When a parent/grandparent or sibling dies, it can be difficult to know how to help children cope with the loss. How much children can understand about a death depends largely on their age, life experiences and personality, but there are a few important points to remember.
Children need questions answered immediately, honestly and as factually as possible. It is important to create an atmosphere of comfort and openness, and send the message that there's no one right or wrong way to feel. It can be a time that spiritual beliefs you have about death can be shared.
Children need to be allowed and enabled to participate in the family's loss, which they can do only if their parents share their feelings. However, grieving parents may be unavailable to their children, lost in or overwhelmed by their own grief.
Knowing that children are often the forgotten mourners, Delta Hospice offers a program for children that encourages the expression of grief and loss. It helps children explore healthy coping strategies and fosters each child's individual resilience and emotional well being.
Dr. Heather Mohan, a grief counsellor, will be facilitating the group for children five to 12 years old who are grieving the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent or other significant
person.
Mohan uses a variety of expressive arts, music and play to engage children and to share about their grief.
At the same time, grief counsellor Marg Fletcher will meet with the parent(s) or guardians to facilitate peer support and to help parents learn how to support their children's grief.
The groups, starting in November, run on Tuesdays from 4: 30 to 6 p.m. every other week throughout the school year. The groups will be held in Ladner at the Centre for Supportive Care.
All participants must pre-register in advance by calling Mohan at 604-948-0660. New participants may join the group anytime throughout the school year if space is available.
Delta Hospice serves children, young adults and families at a time when they are facing the death or serious illness of a loved one. Support is offered free for as long as it is needed.
For more information, visit www.deltahospice.org.
