Support Before Death
Victoria Hospice offers professional counselling to both patients and their loved ones who are facing advanced and progressive illness, death and bereavement.
Before a death occurs, this help can include counselling support at home or at our in-patient unit:
- to help deal with the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness and the grieving that begins even before a death occurs. Patients may struggle to come to terms with many losses to be faced. They may feel frightened and overwhelmed - quite normal reactions. Family members and close friends, meanwhile, may feel helpless, hopeless, exhausted, numb, sad, angry or anxious about what the future will bring. This reaction is sometimes called 'anticipatory grief'.
- to help patients and their family members plan ahead for future care
- to help with practical concerns and plans such as funerals or memorial services
-
to offer spiritual care for all faiths, cultures and beliefs