After Care

The experience of loss can change your life. Often, the emotional roller coaster of grieving can be confusing and difficult to understand. Bereaved persons have found that talking with someone who understands about their experience is one way to work through the grief experience. Others who have shared a similar experience of loss may have insights to share with you and you with them. Groups such as those listed below may offer the grieving person valuable information and emotional support.

It is important and healthy to grieve, it is OK to cry, but never forget the great memories you hold in your heart.  Take time to share with others the memories, talk about the great times spent with your loved one.  Communication is very important during the grieving process.  Make sure you express to your family and friends your needs. 

There is a lot of help for you, there are a lot of people who care about you and want to help you through the difficult days.  Most of all remember God is right there with you,  the Bible instructs us in Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."  Let God give you comfort.

National Grief Support Groups

Many of these national organizations have local chapters. We have listed their addresses and phone numbers for your easy reference. You may be able to find a local group by calling the national organization for a referral.

AARP Widowed Persons Service - 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049, 202-434-2260 - An outreach program for those who have lost a spouse.

AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services Aids and facilitates the grieving process of people who have been affected by, or involved in, an air crash. www.accesshelp.org/

Alive Alone Assists bereaved parents that lost an only child or all of their children. www.alivealone.org

Alliance Hospice-Serving the C.S.R.A.   www.alliancehospice.com 

Alliance of Grandparents, A Support in Tragedy (AGAST) Dedicated to assisting all grandparents when a grandchild dies. www.agast.org/

Bereaved Parents of the USA Aids and supports bereaved parents and families struggling to survive their grief after the death of a child. www.bereavedparentsusa.org/

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation - 7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 460, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, 800-366-2223 - for parents of children who have cancer orwho have died of cancer.

Center for Loss and Life Transition For bereaved adults and children and bereavement caregivers. www.centerforloss.com/pg/default.asp

Center for Loss in Multiple Birth (CLIMB) For bereaved parents of one or more twins, or multiples. www.climb-support.org/

The Compassionate Friends - PO Box 3696, Oakbrook, Illinois 60522-3696, 630-990-0010 - for bereaved parents and siblings.

Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) For families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. www.nationalcops.org/

Death and Dying: Beyond Indigo For bereaved individuals. www.death-dying.com/

Grief & Loss Resource Center Features grief and bereavement resources and links to memorial collections. www.rockies.net/%7Espirit/grief/grief.html

Grief Inc. Provides program speakers to discuss grief-related issues. www.griefinc.com/griefinc/default.htm

GrowthHouse Resources for life-threatening illness and end-of-life care.  www.growthhouse.org/

GROWW-Grief Recovery Online Provides message boards, resource listings and secure chat rooms for the grieving.  www.groww.org/

Hospice Care Of South Carolina  - (803) 649-9201  946 Millbrook - Aiken, SC 29803 

The National Hospice Organization - 1700 Diagonal Rd, Suite 625, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, 703-243-5900 - offers support to families before, during and following the death of a terminally ill person. www.compassionatefriends.org/

In Loving Memory Dedicated to helping parents cope with the death of their only child or all their children through conferences/outreach. www.inlovingmemoryonline.org/

National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved Offers pastoral and spiritual support to the bereaved, caregivers, agencies, congregations and dioceses. www.griefwork.org/

The National Center for Grieving Children and Families Provides peer support groups for grieving children. www.dougy.org/

Parents Without Partners - 1650 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 500, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, 800-637-7974 - regards the needs of single parents and their children.

Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) Dedicated to helping the survivors of homicide victims with supportive family services after the murder of a family member or friend.  www.dougy.org/

Self Esteem Advisory Service For adults and children.  www.selfesteemadvisoryservice.com/

SHARE Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support For families who have experienced the death of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death.   www.nationalshareoffice.com/

Society of Military Widows For widows of members of all branches of the uniformed services of the United States. www.militarywidows.org/

The Sturbridge Group: Bereavement Training and Consultation Provides training and consultation on the issues of death, dying, and grief. www.sturbridgegroup.com/

THEOS Foundation, Inc.

322 Blvd. Of the Allies

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

(412) 471-7779

Publishes THEOS magazine, books and organizational materials for widowed men and women.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance - 1314 Bedford Ave., Suite 210, Baltimore, Maryland 21208, 800-221-SIDS (7437) - offers information and support to parents who have lost a child to SIDS.

Survivors After Suicide - Ray of Hope, Inc. - PO Box 2323, Iowa City, Iowa 52244, 319-337-9890 - for information and support to survivors.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc. - 1113 West Fireweed, Suite 602, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907-272- TAPS (8277).

Ultimate Loss For bereaved individuals    www.ndparking.de/ultimateloss.org

WidowNet An information and self-help resource for, and by, widows and widowers. www.widownet.org/

Wings of Light Support and information network for aircraft-accident survivors and others directly affected by aviation accidents. www.wingsoflight.org/

Web Resources in Grief, Death and Loss

Center for Loss and Life Transition

A private organization dedicated to furthering our understanding of and compassion for the complex set of emotions we call grief. Dedicated to helping both the bereaved, by walking with them in their unique life journeys, and bereavement caregivers, by serving as their educational liaison and professional forum.

Crisis, Grief and Healing 

A place where men and women can discuss, chat or browse to understand the many different paths to heal strong emotions. Resources on the site include excerpts from author Tom Golden's books on healing from loss.

GriefNet 

GriefNet is an Internet community of persons dealing with grief, death, and major loss. They have many email support groups. Their integrated approach to online grief support provides help to people working through loss and grief issues of all kinds.

Willowgreen 

A leading provider of information and inspiration in the areas of illness and dying, loss and grief, healthy caregiving, life transition, and spirituality.