Speaking of Grief

August 2022

In the early days of Covid, as we were all trying to navigate the challenges of how to best serve our patients and families, the Arkansas Hospice Bereavement Services department was rising to those challenges along with everyone else. In addition to our ongoing phone support, we transitioned from in person visits to zoom, we created telegrief groups to replace in person support groups, and we filmed a virtual memorial service to honor the lives and memories of those we served, replacing the in-person service previously provided. We continued to ponder, however, how to reach beyond to keep the grief conversation going.

Arkansas Hospice Director of Bereavement Services, Barbara Ross, has always been a champion of meeting people where they are in their grief, and understanding the ever-growing need for grief support and education. When Bereavement Specialists Jamie Boshears and Simone Brock approached Barbara with the concept of launching a podcast, she was enthusiastic and 100% committed to the idea. With the vital and important input, direction, and implementation from David Edwards, Director of Communications, the Speaking of Grief podcast was born.

From its earliest inception, the goal was to provide information about a variety of grief “issues,” including invited guests living their own unique grief story. Daily, Bereavement Services can attest to grieving people being misunderstood and at times, their own worst enemy because of the “death denial” society we live in. We have found that our variety of listeners were, and are, hungry, for the myriad of subjects and conversations we introduce.

Did you know YOU have access to these podcasts at any time you choose to listen?

To date, we have recorded seven podcasts, including conversations with Dr. Bell and Dr. Wyatt. These can be found at Speaking of Grief – Arkansas Hospice. We are also excited about our upcoming topics and speakers (broadcast dates to be determined):

Jennifer O’Brien, widow of palliative and hospice care physician Dr. Bob Lehmberg, who is a champion for caregivers and the importance of advance planning. Jennifer authored the book The Hospice Doctor’s Widow, which is an account of her caregiving journey during Dr. Lehmberg’s illness and death.
Greg Adams, director of the Good Mourning Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, who specializes in children’s grief.
Ben Grimes, a veteran, who is the founder of The Breach and The Riverside Actors Theatre, which focuses on using the arts to navigate veteran service members grief and trauma.

We are so proud of all the ways Bereavement Services provides support to our patients, families, and community, and Speaking of Grief is a vital component of this support.

Be Well …

Arkansas Hospice Employee Wellness Council (EWC) Keeping you Well – Mind, Body, & Spirit

CLICK HERE to reach us!