Bereavement Support

Mourning the loss of a loved one is painful and can be a lonely journey. Whether it's outside help and guidance for working through the grief, or simply having an outlet to share your feelings and thoughts, Hospice of Health First's Bereavement Support Services Team can help.

Hospice of Health First Bereavement Support Services are:

• Offered to Hospice families at no cost
• Provided by our Bereavement Support Services Team, which includes bereavement counselors, mental health counselors, children grief specialists and volunteers
• Designed to keep in touch with family members, individually or as a group, for a year or longer
• Focused around providing contact through home visits, telephone calls, and regularly scheduled support group meetings

Bereavement Support Groups

Click here to view our current Bereavement Newsletter & Events Calendar

Hospice of Health First provides a variety of support and social groups to meet the needs of our survivors. These support networks are designed to assist participants in their efforts to:

• Understand the process of grieving
• Recognize behaviors brought on by grief
• Reinforce healthy behaviors to cope with grief
• Re-establish social activities

Multiple opportunities are available on a monthly basis throughout Brevard County, from Barefoot Bay to Merritt Island, to assist survivors on their journey. Whether the loss is recent or happened some time ago, there is a group fit for everyone.

Semi-Annual Memorial Service

Hospice of Health First takes an opportunity twice a year to come together in remembrance of the patients we have been privileged to serve. This Semi-Annual Memorial Service takes place around the county in various Churches and gives families, staff, and volunteers an opportunity to share memories of those who have gone before us.

Semi-Annual Brick Paver Service

To provide continued support to the community-built William Childs Hospice House, commemorative bricks can be purchased to honor your loved ones. Each brick will be placed in pathways surrounding the Hospice House, and a semi-annual Brick Paver service will be held in the spring and fall that allows for family members to see their bricks.

Spiritual Care

At Hospice of Health First, we realize that spiritual care is a personal issue and differs from person to person. Some people may find solace in the rituals and traditions of organized religion; others reflect in other ways. Hospice of Health First respects the diverse needs of our patients and is not affiliated with any religious group, but we do have excellent relationships with the churches in Brevard County. We're happy to work with a patient's personal spiritual advisor or provide our own Hospice Chaplain for your loved one's spiritual needs. Our Spiritual Care staff support our patients and their families as they struggle to deal with the questions that often arise during and after the death of a loved one.

Online Grief Resources

Griefwords Online Library

Bright Star Program - Special Bereavement Services for Children

Click here to learn more about our Bright Star Program

Illness and death are a part of life, and so is the grief process that allows one to move toward hope, healing, and renewal. But for a child who has lost a loved one, the road can be filled with a silent pain that others may forget. Commonly called "silent grievers," children deal with the loss of a loved one in a unique way, and their path toward healing is different than adults. Bright Star is a specialized children's program for grief and loss that encourages the expression of grief experiences through creative, positive play within a peer group setting.

Bright Star provides a safe and supportive environment where children, teens, and their families grieving the death of a loved one can share their experience. Our core staff of professionals facilitates children's groups. All have advanced degrees in Counseling and Social Work, as well as prior experience in dealing with bereavement.

Located at 1131 W. New Haven Ave. in West Melbourne, Florida, children don't have to grieve in silence with Bright Star lighting the way. You can reach the center at 321.434.7622 for more information.