Hospice of Michigan Offers Variety of Grief Support Groups This Fall

Aug. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 16, 2012 – Hospice of Michigan will offer a variety of free support groups around West Michigan this fall focused on dealing with grief.

Each of the groups will provide a safe and supportive environment for participants to express their feelings and better understand the grief process as they deal with the death of a friend or family member.  
Support groups include Journey Through Grief, which provides information about what to expect when grieving and specific strategies for coping more effectively.  Six sessions will be held in Grand Rapids, Allendale and Muskegon, including sessions at:
•   Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada from 4:30-6 p.m. on five consecutive Tuesdays starting Aug. 21
•   St. Pius Church at 3937 Wilson Ave. SW in Grandville from 7-8:30 p.m. on five consecutive Thursdays starting Aug. 30
•   Hospice of Michigan offices at 1930 E. Apple Ave. in Muskegon from 4:30-6 p.m. on five consecutive Thursdays beginning Sept. 20
•   Gilda’s Club at 1806 Bridge Street NW in Grand Rapids from 3-4:30 p.m. on five consecutive Wednesdays starting Sept. 26
•   St. John Vianney Church at 900 Floyd Street, in “The Caring Place” – Room 2 in Wyoming from 7-8:30 p.m. on five consecutive Tuesdays starting Oct. 2
•   Allendale Public Library at 6175 Library Lane in Allendale from 7-8:30 p.m. on five consecutive Tuesdays starting Oct. 2

HOM will also provide Living On groups, which offer sessions designed to provide support for individuals who are coping with grief related to specific types of loss.  
Specific sessions include:
•   Loss of Spouse/Partner:  Second Tuesday of each month at the Dominican Center at Marywood at 2025 Fulton Street SE in Grand Rapids from 6:30-8 p.m.
•   Loss of Spouse/Partner:  Second Tuesday of each month at Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada from 4:30-6 p.m.
•   Loss of a Child:  Second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada from 4:30-6 p.m.
•   Loss of a Parent series, also at Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada from 7-8:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, Oct. 9, Oct. 23 and Nov. 13

HOM is also launching two Men and Grief programs, which will focus on men, grief and loss.  One group, which is targeted particularly to men who are or have been caregivers will be led by male volunteers and will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Allendale Public Library at 6175 Library Lane in Allendale.  A second Men and Grief program, for men grieving the death of a loved one, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6 from 8:30-10 a.m. at Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada.  That group will be led by HOM Grief Support Services Manager Dan Krajewski.

Hope for the Holidays will focus on realistic strategies for making the holidays a time of healing.  Sessions will be held:
•   Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at St. Paul the Apostle at 2750 Burton SE in Grand Rapids
•   Thursday, Oct. 25 from 4:30-6 p.m. at Hospice of Michigan offices at 1930 E. Apple Ave. in Muskegon
•   Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 6:15-7:30 p.m. at Gilda’s Club at 34. S. Hudson in Lowell
•   Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 3-4:30 p.m. at Gilda’s Club at 1806 Bridge Street NW in Grand Rapids
•   Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 4:30-6 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. at Hospice of Michigan offices at 989 Spaulding Ave. SE in Ada

In addition, HOM will offer two Fly and Remember kite decorating events and a special Fly and Remember memorial service. The Fly and Remember Memorial Service will give attendees the opportunity to decorate and fly a kite in honor of their loved one. The kite decorating events, which will allow people to decorate kites that can be flown independently or as part of the Memorial service, will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 11, from 4-7 p.m., in HOM's Ada office, and Thursday, Sept. 6, from 3-4:30 p.m., in HOM's Muskegon office. The memorial service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 13, at Muskegon's Pioneer Park, between 4-7 p.m.

Unless otherwise noted, advance registration is required for all groups and events. To register call 616.356.5258 or 231.733.5394 ext. 8382.
Hospice of Michigan also offers workshops and group presentations to schools, churches, businesses and communities dealing with a loss, to help them understand the grieving process. For more information or for additional brochures, call 616-356-5258 or 231-733-5394 ext. 8382.
About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state of Michigan.  The non-profit organization cares for more than 1,000 patients each day in 56 counties, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers innovative programs to enhance the quality of care for people at the end of life, education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals, caregiver education materials, cultural diversity programs for end-of-life care, and research and education programs at the Maggie Allesee Center for Quality of Life.  For more information, call Hospice of Michigan’s CARE Center 24/7 at 888.247.5701 or go to www.hom.org.