Literature Review

For those who have lost loved ones, Fargo woman’s memory bears make grief easier to bearDickinson (ND) PressDecember 14, 2023Fargo, ND—... Anne Kidder couldn’t agree more. The Fargo seamstress/crafter has found memorial gifts like her memory bears are her most popular product line. In addition to the bears, she also makes memorial elephants, lions and even unicorns. For parents who have lost a child to miscarriage or stillbirth, she makes a line of smaller bears, which can be weighted to the weight of the child at the time they were born. In addition, she makes memorial pillows, framed and embroidered wall hangings, holiday ornaments, keychains and quilts.

How did I honor my mother’s death? By creating a holiday.By Margo RabbWashington PostDecember 14, 2023... For a long time, I had grappled with how to spend the anniversary [of the death of the author’s mother, Renée]. I had never observed it before—normally, I pretended it wasn’t happening—but a quarter-century seemed too momentous to do nothing. My mother had died when I was still in my teens, nine days after being diagnosed with cancer. 

Phones ‘connected to nothing but love’ donated to Westport LibraryWestport (CT) JournalDecember 13, 2023Westport, CT—Lynda Shannon Bluestein is nearing the end of her life. In January, the 76-year-old will travel to Vermont where, surrounded by family, she will end the suffering she has experienced from three bouts of cancer in a state where aid-in-dying is permitted. Bluestein, however, first had to sue the state of Vermont, winning her case in June, to allow a non-resident to end her life there. On Wednesday, she plans to give the Westport Library a gift that may help others, especially children, express and process grief when they lose a loved one. Bluestein will donate two “wind phones”—rotary-dial phones that are not connected to anything—that people of all ages can use to speak about their loss and memories of a loved one who has passed away. 

Moving through the holidays with grief—crafting a plan can helpMorgan Messenger (Berkeley Springs, WV)December 12, 2023Christmas and winter holidays are portrayed as festive, bright and jolly times to celebrate and enjoy life. But the holidays can look and feel different for someone who has lost a loved one, is in the midst of major illness, or for someone who has suffered a traumatic event that’s brought significant change to their lives. Navigating the balance between celebration and grief is unique for everyone. Grief Counselor Deanna Rudy of Hospice of the Panhandle said acknowledging the change in life is an important step in making this holiday season manageable for families.  

Experts offer suggestions for dealing with holiday anxiety and depressioMacomb (MI) DailyDecember 10, 2023At this time of year, everywhere around there are full of holiday images of family gatherings, brightly lit trees, lavish gifts and tables laden with rich foods, beverages and desserts. For those whose depression and anxiety is triggered by the holiday season and those who have lost a loved one, a treasured pet, or even a job and are grieving, the holidays can be tough to navigate. “One of the things we do say is to know your own limitations,” said Karen Monts, practice manager of Counseling Services at Hospice of Michigan. “Don’t feel pressured to do things a certain way or allow images on television to get into your mind so that you feel like everyone is having a wonderful holiday except you, because we know that is not the case.” Monts says trying to plan ahead for the holiday can help to alleviate stress and depression. “You know this is going to be a different holiday without that loved one, so try and figure out what works for you,” Monts said. ... Monts advises people who are experiencing grief, anxiety and depression at the holidays to use the “AIM” method to sort out their emotions: access what you are feeling; identify what you are experiencing; and manage what you do in response to those feelings.

St. Peter’s Hospice celebrates its 30th annual “Light a Life” fundraiserKTVH-TV (Helena, MT)December 8, 2023Helena, MT—On Thursday, December 7, the St. Peter’s Health Foundation celebrated its 30th annual “Light a Life” event.

Awareness, Education Keys to Trauma-Informed Hospice CareHospice NewsDecember 7, 2023Having a greater understanding around the impacts of trauma and abuse can help hospices improve end-of-life experiences for patients and working conditions for staff. Training and education are keys to caring for patients and employees with unique needs impacted by trauma and abuse. ... Abuse and trauma experiences impact those delivering and receiving hospice care in many ways, some evident and some less apparent, according to Carole Fisher, president, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation. ... "The impacts of trauma and abuse are important to include in staff training and education, as well as patient care delivery approaches and employee policies," Fisher stated. ... "Trauma-informed care involves having a complete understanding of a person’s overall life experiences and orienting health services toward healing," according to Lara McKinnis, professional development specialist at Teleios Collaborative Network.

WVU Medicine Hospice hosts annual ‘Gift of Lights’ remembrance ceremonyWBOY-TV (Clarksburg, WV)December 5, 2023WVU Medicine Hospice held a Gift of Light service at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport Tuesday night. Names were read of the loved ones who were remembered this holiday season and family members were able to light a battery-operated candle in remembrance of their them and to celebrate their lives. The family members and caregivers in attendance were given Christmas tree ornaments to honor their loved one who has passed. A tree will also be lit in the hospice garden near the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center. Hospice officials said the service gives families a chance to get together and share memories and stories of their loved ones with others.

Why are the holidays so hard?Jenn Flaum, LCSW, MBAExecutive Director, Heartlight Center, Denver, COThe holiday season can be filled with emotions that can be more profound and surprising than other times of the year, especially for individuals who are grieving. Subsequently, it is common for us to ask the question: Why are the holidays so hard? Editor Note: The author includes several suggestions that may be helpful for you, your patients, and their family members.

Savannah Hospice honors loved ones for the holidaysWTGS-TV (Savannah, GA)December 3, 2023Savannah, GA—Hospice Savannah hosted their 32nd annual Tree of Light Memorial Ceremony on Sunday. The memorial honored the memory of loved ones during the holiday season.

It’s OK to Never ‘Get Over’ Your GriefBy Mikolaj Slawkowski-Rode, MA, PhDNew York TimesDecember 3, 2023Over the past century, traditional mourning practices have fallen out of favor in the West. Black is now usually worn only to a funeral, and not always then. But traditional mourning practices were designed to do just that: to preserve a place for the dead among the living, to help mourners carry the weight of their grief not by getting over it but by maintaining their relationship with the deceased (as metaphysically suspect as that might sound to modern ears). Today we are encouraged to step out from the shadow loss casts over our lives and return to happiness. ... This approach to grief and mourning might seem to be a good thing, like picking yourself up after a fall. It is arguably less morbid, with its emphasis on “getting closure” and “moving on” in a process whose goal is “healing.” But I fear the benefits do not outweigh the costs. ... [Editor’s Note: The author is an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Warsaw and a research fellow at Blackfriars Hall at the University of Oxford. He is the editor of “The Meaning of Mourning: Perspectives on Death, Loss, and Grief.”]

New Grief Resources for the HolidaysPress Release 12/3/23Composing Life Out of Loss offering multiple grief resources for individuals and providers.