What happens afterward?

Grief doesn’t end at death. Ask what support the family receives, and for how long.

A hospice makes a promise to a family, and the last part of the promise comes after the funeral.

The weeks and months after a death are often when the caregiver, the daughter who managed everything or the husband who slept in the chair, finally stops and feels it. Good hospice care anticipates that. Medicare requires hospices to offer bereavement support to families for at least a year. Ask what that support actually looks like: who reaches out, how often, whether there are groups or one-on-one counseling, whether children and teenagers get help designed for them, and whether it costs anything.

Ohio’s Hospice stays with families for thirteen months after a death through Pathways of Hope, with individual counseling, support groups, memorial events, and resources for children and families. The people who cared for your family member are part of the same organization that cares for you afterward, so nobody has to start over. [Confirm the scope of Pathways of Hope services and whether grief support is open to the community regardless of where the death occurred. If it is, say so; it is a strong proof point.]

You don’t have to do this alone. Not during, and not after.