Bereavement support is initiated with the start of hospice to gather pertinent information that will help provided adequate care to family and friends for at least one year after the patient’s death. Franciscan Hospice Care delivers this assistance with a team of individuals who make regular visits, calls and personalized mailings to help integrate the loss experienced by those who remain.
Franciscan Hospice Care also offers support for the patient’s spouse after the death of the patient. Led by a licensed clinical social worker, support groups assist widows and widowers in their process of grief. Sharing in a trusting environment with others who have recently lost their spouse through death can reassure the grieving spouse that she or he is not alone.