East End Hospice Holding Online Bereavement Support Group For Those Who Lost A Loved One To COVID-19

Losing a loved one is difficult enough, but now with social distancing in place and hospital visits prohibited, it has become even more challenging to grapple with loss lately.

To help those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 grieve, East End Hospice (EEH) is providing a new virtual support group.

“People are struggling with not being able to see their loved ones, or be by their side as they are dying,” Jean Behrens, LCSW-R, EEH Adult Bereavement Coordinator, explained. “Whether they are nearby or out of state, people are prohibited from visiting and saying goodbye. This is unprecedented and traumatic. To be able to process this trauma, it is imperative that people are surrounded by those who truly understand and are led by a clinician experienced in traumatic loss. East End Hospice provides this platform.”

The 8-week online bereavement support group, hosted on Zoom, is open to anyone who has been through this heartbreaking experience and is in need of companionship and support. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The support group will start on May 27.

“We have already had several people reach out and expect that to grow,” Behrens noted.

“At East End Hospice, we have a team of mental health professionals who specialize in bereavement care. We offer services at no cost to adults, teens and children affected by grief,” Mary Crosby, EEH President and CEO, added.

To join the support group, registration and intake are mandatory.

“The sessions are meant to be a safe place for people to share frustrations and to talk through their grief while learning simple coping techniques,” Behrens said.

To register, email Jean Behrens, LCSW-R at [email protected] or call (631)288-8400.

The mission of East End Hospice, a NYS Certified Hospice, is to “provide care and comfort for all terminally ill patients, their families and loved ones living on the North and South Forks of Long Island, including Brookhaven Township.”

For more information, visit www.eeh.org.