Learning to age successfully with help from a geriatric physician.

Hospice Services

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Bereavement Support

Support for the bereaved has always been an important aspect of St. Anthony's Hospice continuing care. We offer bereavement support for relatives of patients who have been cared for either at home or within "our home" at the de Greeff Hospice House.

The close relationship that develops with families during this period provides hospice staff and volunteers with a continuing opportunity to express their caring. As part of our bereavement services, we help those in mourning about the normal process of grief and provide supportive care.

Counselors are available to support patients and families as they learn to cope with loss or fear. One-on-one counselor sessions are provided at no cost to families.

Support Groups

Hospice support groups offer information about the mourning process, emotional support and an opportunity to share experiences with others who are coping with a loss. Support groups and individual counseling are offered to adults and children on a regularly scheduled basis. These groups also are open to other members of the community who are grieving, whether or not they are grieving the loss of someone who received hospice care. St. Anthony's support group meetings are held in a confidential setting and supportive environment.

Newly Bereaved Grief Support Group is open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one within the last six months. This group is time-limited and covers six grief-related topics. Participants are encouraged to join the group at any time within six months after their loss and plan to complete all six sessions consecutively. The group meets the first and third Tuesday of every month from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Open Grief Support Groups are offered to anyone at anytime following the loss. There are usually no planned topics or format with the focus being on support for one another. The daytime group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. The evening group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Safe Space Saturday's Teen Program and Safe Space Camp for Grieving Teens for adolescents and teens who have suffered the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend. Saturday's meet the second Saturday of the month. The program uses expressive art, music and discussion to support each other on the journey through the specific issues concerning teen grief. Please call 314-525-7384 for information.

Spiritual Care

Hospice care embraces all aspects of life — physical, emotional and spiritual. The very core of the mission at St. Anthony's Hospice recognizes that we carry out the healing mission of Jesus Christ.

Our staff makes spiritual care a priority and we all participate in spiritual care at some level. Issues of the meaning, relationship and peace with God — among other things — can become quite focused, to the point of struggle or crisis, during the time of terminal illness. The supportive presence, listening and appropriate intervention of a hospice chaplain can be a tremendous help to hospice patients and their families.

Chaplain Services

• Care is provided to patients, families and caregivers according to their desires and beliefs. Beliefs will be honored and respected.
• Our chaplains are open, sensitive and nonjudgmental — accepting of different beliefs, cultures and values.
• Our hospice chaplains are a resource and will assist in connecting people with clergy of their own faith group or other professionals upon request.
• Our chaplain can make arrangements for or officiate funeral/memorial services.
• For home patients, a chaplain typically calls and arranges for an initial visit within seven days of a person's admittance into hospice. Hospice House patients also are visited promptly by one of our chaplains. From that time forward, our chaplains will continue to visit or just be available to visit and offer support.

If you would like more information about bereavement resources offered through St. Anthony's Hospice, please call our bereavement coordinators at 314-525-7346 or 314-525-7344.

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For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit find a physician online.

At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization
— and your first choice for health care services.