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Grief and Bereavement Support

Grief and Bereavement Support

Grief and bereavement support groups are held at various times and locations throughout the year to support individuals and families who have lost a loved one. Coming together with others to share similar feelings and thoughts is beneficial to the grieving process. The support groups are a 6-session series led by the hospice professional, who teaches healing and coping strategies. 

Other programs offered for families and friends who have lost a loved one include:  

  • Circle of Love and Light, held annually during the holiday season. 
  • Annual memorial planting of Memorial Trees in honor of loved ones lost.

For more information, call (401) 737-6050 and ask to speak with the bereavement coordinator.

Contact Information

VNA of Care New England
51 Health Lane
Warwick, RI 02886
P: (401) 737-6050
F: (401) 737-3084
E: info@vnacarenewengland.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I entitled to feel this badly?

Yes. A personal tragedy has happened and your world has come unglued. The heartbreak caused by the death of a loved one has consequences that you feel in your body, mind and spirit.

Will I always feel this badly?

No. Some days will be worse than others; some will surprise you by their serenity. Healing does not automatically happen because "time heals all wounds." Time, all by itself, simply passes from one moment to the next. But healing is both desirable and possible, depending upon how you invest your time. You are entitled to want to feel better.

When I begin to feel better, why do I feel guilty about feeling better?

Sometimes we worry that we shouldn't recover, because our loved one didn't recover. We feel disloyal or selfish or both. But "creating the new normal" is not disloyal. Life will never be the same again. But it is a healthy thing to recommit to life in its new form(s). Re-entering life does not eliminate the love that we had for the person who died.

Am I all alone in this confusion and exhaustion and sorrow?
No, you don't have to be. Some people may push you away. They don't want your grief to be contagious. Or they may not know what to say or what to do. They say nothing. Or (even worse) they say very stupid things that make you wish they had chosen to say nothing instead. But there are also people out there - nearby - who know your territory and can be companions on the journey. That's why the Hospice Program of VNA of Care New England offers Bereavement Support Groups. All of them are open to the public free of charge.
When do these groups meet?

Up to four times a year, seasonally. Each group runs for six sessions of two hours. The winter group always meets in the daytime to avoid night driving. The summer group always meets in the evening. Spring and autumn vary.