HEALTAHR TCARE
BEYOND THE LOSS
By Rafael J. Sciullo
JULY/AUGUST 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 137
Hospice care services cover a
wide range of issues and it’s
often difficult for people to
realize everything we do to care
for patients and families. Most people
understand hospice is about caring for
patients at the end of life. But so much
happens after a loss. It’s important for
people to know about the full breadth and
depth of what is available to families and
their loved ones.
Grief and bereavement are extremely
complex matters. When someone has
a terminal illness, grief begins with the
diagnosis. The staff at Suncoast Hospice
often encounters people who are in the
throes of caring for someone with terminal
illness and are experiencing many losses.
Watching someone you love lose control
of physical abilities or mental capacity,
for example, is very difficult. Through
our Community Counseling services, we
work with many people following their
initial diagnoses, helping them sort through
various emotions and learn about what to
expect as their diseases progress.
Many factors influence the way people
grieve. Different age groups, different
cultural norms and different life roles
impact how people grieve. Relationship
circumstances, times of the year and faith
are other major aspects that play into how
we grieve the loss of someone.
In our more than 40 years of serving
families and loved ones in Pinellas
County, Suncoast Hospice has become
the preeminent expert in grief care.
Our specially-trained, licensed staff
understands the varying dynamics
impacting grief and bereavement and
we have built many services and special
programs to help individuals with their
grief work, regardless of their age, life stage
or type of loss.
Suncoast Hospice has more than 65
baby shortly after birth need specialized
care and support. Help may be provided
beginning with a diagnosis during
pregnancy or delivery and we offer a
Perinatal Loss Doula program where our
doula volunteers go to the hospital during
deliveries to provide advocacy, comfort
and support to mothers and families.
Specialized counseling is also available
after the loss.
When someone dies tragically and
unexpectedly, there are many additional
elements that come into play for the loved
ones grieving the death. Drug overdoses,
suicides and homicides create a list of
questions and emotions in addition to
the loss itself. Suncoast Hospice has
created services focused on helping loved
ones who have experienced this kind of
traumatic loss , to address those issues
that make it so different from other deaths.
In the fall and winter months, we host
support groups specifically for grief during
the holidays, helping people navigate
situations like upholding family traditions,
gift giving, entertaining, sending holiday
cards, socialization and other issues that
can arise during this difficult time.
Clearly there is no “one-size-fits-all”
approach to helping people grieve.
Suncoast Hospice understands that and
we are committed to the ongoing creation
of grief and bereavement services focused
on the unique and special needs of our
community. If you have questions or know
someone who could use our help, please
call Suncoast Hospice at (727) 467-7423. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Rafael J. Sciullo is
president and CEO of Empath Health, a
nonprofit integrated network of care for
those affected by chronic or advanced illness.
For more information about services, call
(727) 467-7423 or visit EmpathHealth.org.
Rafael J. Sciullo
support groups, some of which are open
to anyone who has experienced a loss (not
just those who died in our care). Ongoing
groups include Caregiver Coffee Breaks
where people caring for loved ones
come together for support, including
groups focused on caring for those with
Alzheimer’s; Spouse Loss; Grief for Kids;
and General Bereavement.
Knowing that children experience grief
in very different ways than adults, Suncoast
Hospice has created unique programs and
services to help children and adolescents
with their grieving processes. In order
to focus on the special needs of children
who are grieving, we hold grief camps and
provide individual and group counseling.
Children’s grief support typically includes
activities that allow them to express their
thoughts and feelings and explore ways
the death of their loved one has impacted
their lives.
Suncoast Hospice also understands
that families who are suffering from a
pregnancy loss, stillbirth or death of a