Hospice Social Worker Offers Tips on How to Deal with Holiday Grief
Charlotte Tyler, Social Worker with Absolute Home Health & Hospice and morning host, Suzie Thomas, talk about dealing with grief during the holidays.
Charlotte offers these tips for those trying to navigate a 'new normal' during the holidays:
Accept and express your feelings.
Just because you don’t talk about them, doesn’t mean that they’re going away. Process your feelings. Maybe you need to talk to someone or write your thoughts in a journal. Carve out time to think, process and write. Create a new morning and/or night time routine to make this time sacred.
Friends and Loved Ones of the Bereaved: Stay consistent with your ask.
Sometimes, it’s appropriate to tell someone you’re dropping dinner off at 4 p.m., rather than asking them if it’s okay. For the bereaved, the decision to accept 'the ask' can feel heavy. They’re polite, and may not want to impose on you. If you want to truly help someone who is navigating through grief, try this: “I can do laundry Friday night or Saturday morning - which time works best for you?”
Lose the expectations for following the traditions of year’s past. Instead, make a new plan.
Things are different, now. A plan could make you feel better about your experience. It will take time to shed your expectations of how things used to be in order to start a new tradition. Maybe you can’t handle Thanksgiving at your house this year. So, maybe you have to go to Bob Evans, or to a friend's house. Planning your holiday before it’s time may offer you a stronger sense of control.
If tradition feels comforting to you, by all means, pursue that! Do things how you’ve always done - just be ready to confront the feelings that may accompany your decision.
If you have questions or need support, please call us at 330.498.8075.
Listen to the Interview:
Listen to the two-part conversation with our social worker, Charlotte Tyler, and radio host Suzie Thomas!
About Charlotte:
Since 2005, Charlotte M. Tyler, MSSA, LSW, has been helping families and patients find the resources they need. In her role with Absolute Home Health & Hospice, she helps them navigate home planning, insurance, medical equipment, financial resources - and she helps with the emotional aspect of the home health & hospice journey. Her favorite pastime is baking, gardening, and canning. Away from work, Charlotte enjoys time with her husband, Allen, and three little ones. Together they live in Navarre, Ohio.