St. Luke’s Hospice Offers LIVE Online Bereavement Support –
“You’re Not Alone! Understanding Normal Grief Support”
St. Luke’s Hospice is offering a new kind of online bereavement support group – completely online and at grievers’ convenience. Individuals are encouraged to log on to St. Luke’s, one-of-a-kind bereavement support Web cast, titled “You’re Not Alone! Understanding Normal Grief Response,” held live online Wednesday, May 26 at 3 p.m.
“It may not be easy or the most comfortable experience to attend one of our support groups in person,” said Stephanie Anderson, director of St. Luke’s Palliative Care and Hospice. “And as many know, people don’t always experience grief and feelings of loss when it’s most convenient. However, St. Luke’s Hospice is committed to providing the bereavement support people need, when and where they need it.”
Viewing the St. Luke’s Hospice online bereavement support is easy. On Wednesday, May 26 at 3 p.m., go to the St. Luke’s Hospice Web site at stlukescr.org/hospice and click on the link titled “Online Hospice Resources.” A licensed hospice social worker will facilitate the Web cast and attendees will be able to type in questions live and learn answers to the questions other grievers are asking.
The Web cast will be similar to support groups that are normally held in the hospice office – the difference is that the Web cast will be shown online in video form with a corresponding presentation for viewers to follow. Online bereavement support is not replacing any other St. Luke’s Hospice support groups, and pre-registration is not needed.
Even though this Web cast will be live on May 26 at 3 p.m., anyone can view it any time after the live webcast on demand, for up to a year. To watch after May 26, please go to stlukescr.org/hospice and click on the “Online Hospice Resources” link on the left side of the screen. Viewers may submit any questions while watching and those will be answered by St. Luke’s Hospice via e-mail. Again, pre-registration is not needed to view the Web cast; just go online and follow the links.
Technology Needs
You can view the online Web cast on a PC or Mac with Internet access, sound and a video player. Before the Web cast starts, you will be directed to a test page to ensure you have the necessary technology to view the Web cast. If you do need to download any applications, links will be provided for easy installation. In addition, technical support is immediately available during the live Web cast. If you are not watching the live Web cast and watching on another day, evening or weekend, technical support will not be immediately available but will respond as soon as possible during weekday business hours. Technology support is provided by StratosFour – the Cedar Rapids business providing the Web casting service.
Questions about the Web cast
If you would like to learn more about this one-of-a-kind grief support, please call St. Luke’s Hospice at 319/369-7744. One of our social workers will be happy to answer your questions.
Ongoing Bereavement Support
Please remember, our dedicated bereavement team is always available to you and your loved ones whether or not you have used St. Luke’s Hospice services. Social workers, chaplains and trained volunteers are available to partner with you. It is our hope that online bereavement support is just another way to help you and your loved ones during your grief journey. For additional bereavement support, please call 319/369-7744 and ask to speak with one of our social workers.
