Hospice of Chattanooga provides our patients’ families with bereavement support up to 13 months following death, making sure that families have the support that they need
Grief Support
Hospice of Chattanooga offers a wide range of grief support services, including group counseling sessions. We are proud to provide these support group services free of charge to any person in need of grief counseling in our service area. You do not need to be connected to a patient of Hospice of Chattanooga to attend our support groups, and any person working to cope with the death of someone close to them is invited to attend.
To register for a group, please contact our grief support team at:
Phone: 423.805.7112
Toll-free: 1.888.340.7830
Email: grief@alleohealth.org
Special Support Groups
Teen Tuesdays: November 2, 9, 16 6:30-8:00pm EST
Click here to register for Teen Tuesdays. Registration required. Deadline for Fall: 10/26/21
Viviendo Con Su Dolor: Este grupo en espanol ofrece Esperanza y apoyo a quienes estan de luto. 9, 16, 23 de ferero 5:30-7:00pm EST
Creativity in Your Grief: November 9 5:30-7:00pm EST
National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy and Infant Loss: Memorial Service October 15, 2021 5:30pm EST
Hope for the Holidays:
Nov 11 5:30-7:00pm EST
Dec 9 11:30am – 1:00pm EST
Annual Events
Hospice of Chattanooga organizes and sponsors several events throughout the year. Following is a brief overview of those events.
Healing Hearts Camp for Kids
This is our annual camp for children, ages 5-11, who have experiences the loss of a loved one. It could be a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend. Children grieve differently from adults, and this camp is designed to allow expressions through activity in a group setting with others who are also grieving a loss. Learn More and Apply Here.
Healing Hearts Retreat for Teens This retreat is for teenagers who are dealing with the loss of a loved one in their life. Teenagers are usually more reserved in dealing with grief, and we design activities that allow them to open up about and express their grief. Learn More and Apply Here.
Memorial Services This service is open to anyone in the community who wants to remember the death of a loved one. All are welcome to this service, whether the person they want to remember died while under hospice care or not. Remembrance done as a community is food for the soul.
Grief Resources
Caregiver’s GuideThis brochure describes how to help someone during the stressful time of grieving for a loved one.
Hard Choices for Loving PeopleThis booklet is written to provide guidance to patients and their families who must face the “hard choices” as they receive and participate in healthcare. The “hard choices” are found in four questions that require treatment decisions: 1) Should resuscitation be attempted? 2) Should artificial nutrition and hydration be utilized? 3) Should a nursing home resident or someone ill at home be hospitalized? and 4) Is it time to shift the treatment goal from cure to comfort care only?
Handbook for Mortals (online version)This online edition includes the full text of the Handbook for Mortals by Joanne Lynn, M.D. and Joan Harrold, M.D., an authoritative consumer guide to end-of-life care.
Anticipatory GriefAnticipatory grief refers to the grief experienced when a death is expected. It usually begins with the news of a terminal diagnosis and involves the acknowledgment that the death of a loved one is approaching. This can be extremely painful and difficult to endure. This type of grief is distinct because it is experienced while your loved one is still living. This article describes what to expect and how to address anticipatory grief.
If your loved one was a patient, click here for our bereavement resources.Planning Ahead
Five WishesFive Wishes is a document that combines a living will, which is one form of advance directive, with a document that authorizes a specific type of power of attorney or health care proxy in which someone is appointed to make decisions on their behalf when they are incapacitated. It is often encouraged that people complete the Five Wishes document to provide the most comprehensive guidance regarding their care. A sample document can be found here and you can visit the online tutorial here.
Tennessee Advance DirectivesThe State of Tennessee offers numerous helpful advance directive forms which are legal documents allowing individuals to convey decisions about end-of-life care well ahead of need, communicating desires to family, friends and health care professionals and avoiding the potential for future confusion. Included on the state site are:
- Advance Directive
- Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST)
- Declaration for Mental Health Treatment
The State of Georgia offers numerous helpful advance directive forms which are legal documents allowing individuals to convey decisions about end-of-life care well ahead of need, communicating desires to family, friends and health care professionals and avoiding the potential for future confusion. Included on the state site are: