From the 2nd to the 6th May, we will be focusing on talking about death, dying and bereavement and how we can support you.

The aim of Dying Matters Awareness Week  is to raise awareness of the importance of talking about death, dying and bereavement. Starting conversations about dying and bereavement is often not as hard as you might think.

Hospice at Home West Cumbria provides other more formal Bereavement Support. We offer the ‘Grieve Well Together’ group for people who have lost a loved one from a life limiting illness. It runs fortnightly and brings people together with a similar experience.

It is common to feel that the world doesn’t understand your pain and grief when you are bereaved and unless people have experienced a similar loss it can be difficult for them to truly empathise and understand how you are feeling.

The ‘Grieve Well Together’ group is here to support you until you reach a place where you can support yourself. Even then, group members often go on to meet and support each other outside of the group. The group gives people the opportunity to talk confidentially and give and receive support from others.

The group is hosted by Karen Pirt, Senior Family and Bereavement Support Worker and Hospice at Home West Cumbria trained volunteers.

Karen said, “People are sometimes reluctant to join a group or find it difficult to ask for support; However once they have joined the group and come along to the first meeting they can find it an invaluable way of coping.’ People who have attended the group have said; “It has been helpful to know that others are experiencing similar emotions, physical symptoms, and common experiences.”; “It has been helpful to connect with others experiencing grief.”; “The group is my comfort zone.”; “I can cry here, let it all out.”; “It’s different here; I can say what I want and feel supported”; “The small group was good for me- it was personal.”

If you would like to attend the ‘Grieve Well Together’ group or attend the ‘Taking Care Through Grief’ meeting or find out more about other HHWC bereavement support then please don’t hesitate to contact the Family and Bereavement Support Team on 01900 705200. You do not have to grieve alone.