by: Beth Loy, Grief Counselor Hospice of the Panhandle’s Center for Grief Support Grief is a natural, universal response to loss. While grief is generally associated with the death of a loved one, it can also be a response from other traumatic experiences, such as the loss of one’s favorite pet, or a loss related to…
by Maria Lorensen Development Director, Hospice of the Panhandle I happened to raise my head and look out my office window last week as the sun was getting ready to set, low in the sky, casting an amber hue across the clouds and landscape. As I looked across the parking lot, I saw a man…
By Deme Warner, LGSW Social Worker The sibling bond is special and undeniable. Siblings are the people who teach us lifelong lessons that other relationships and friendships do not. They are the ones who watch you manage through your awkward teenage years and only occasionally laugh at your expense. The fun times in the backyard…
By Ashley Horst Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator The last two years have been difficult. Shutdowns, quarantines, masks, the fighting over all of it and, of course, the loss—so much loss. Since the pandemic began, I’ve known 21 people who have died (and that doesn’t include celebrities). Some died from COVID, and some from other causes.…
Editor’s Note: Jean is not the real name of the woman Hospice served, nor is Miranda the real name of her daughter. Background: Jean is a health care professional. She has been a physicians’ practice office manager for more than two decades. She also had a 35-year-old daughter, Miranda, who was a heroin addict. Miranda was a…
By Deme Warner, LGSW As we approach the one-year mark since the first mandated shutdown due to COVID-19, we have seen just how ever-changing life can be. With continuing efforts to keep up with regulations, finding new ways to stay connected with our loved ones, and attempting to maintain our own health, we are…
By Vickie Elliott Assistant Vice President of Administration and Human Resources Director at Farmers & Mechanics Insurance Companies in Martinsburg On April 5, 2015, my entire world was turned upside and my faith was shaken beyond belief. My husband woke me on Easter Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. and said he did not feel well…
By Cindy Burdette, MA LPC The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those who are grieving, especially this year. Whether we have lost a loved one to COVID, or as a result of something else, because of the challenges surrounding funeral services and celebrations of life, we may feel even more at a…
Grief affects so many things in your life — how you feel physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially and spiritually. But right now in our community, the COVID-19 pandemic is overshadowing grief for many, and making things even more challenging as you try to manage your grief. Here are some innovative ideas to help those who are grieving manage during this time.
My first experience with hospice services began in high school when my grandparents moved into our home after they both received a terminal diagnosis. Their diagnoses were devastating to our family, but we were dedicated to making them comfortable in our home and our routines became based on their needs. My mom coordinated hospice services,…