Hospice provides help for grieving children

Children can be hit hard by grief when a well-loved relative -- or a classmate or a teacher -- dies. Hospice of Bend-La Pine has set out to provide help in these types of situations.

"If children's bereavement needs aren't addressed problems are likely to pop up later," according to Sharon Strohecker, director of Hospice of Bend La Pine. "Healthier children make healthier adults."

Hospice offers to schools trained volunteer bereavement counselors and a small group healing program.

Nancy Mills, coordinator of this program, visited Sisters School District counselors last month to outline and promote the program.

"In any student population you are bound to have students coming to school with grief issues," said high school counselor Charlie Kanzig. "The service Hospice is offering us is very important."

Referrals to the program can come from parents, school staff and children themselves.

Kanzig recommends communicating such referrals through the school counselors. There is no cost to the school or participants and two facilitators work with each small group of 6-8 students.

The groups run once a week for eight to 10 sessions of 30 to 45 minutes each.

"It is not a therapy group, but one of healing, support, and trust for children who have endured an overwhelming experience of loss of a loved one," Mills said.

Mills can be reached at Hospice of Bend La Pine at 383-3910.

Hospice of Redmond-Sisters, which has provided such groups in Redmond schools, expects to offer these services in Sisters in the near future, according to Leanne Latterell, coordinator of bereavement services. In addition to the support groups, Hospice has started My Friend's House in Bend, which is a place for children and their families to get support particularly when dealing with the death of a family member.

"It's hard for children to get all the support they need if the adults in the family are grieving, too," said Mills.

There are no fees, but families are invited to contribute toward the cost of keeping the service available. My Friend's House is located at the First Baptist Church, 60 NW Oregon Street in Bend.

The phone number is 383-4848.