Bereavement Services

Electing hospice means that patients and families have access to emotional and grief support throughout and after their hospice journey. We understand you and your loved ones will probably go through a wide range of feelings. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and each person will have his or her own way and timeline for grieving. VNA Hospice offers patients and families grief support through bereavement counselors, non-denominational chaplains and bereavement support groups. We also offer Camp Chrysalis for children and a Celebration of Remembrance after your loved one’s deceased.

Spiritual Support

VNA Hospice’s non-denominational chaplains work with patients and families who choose to include spiritual support in their hospice plan. The Chaplains can provide comfort and a listening ear during this difficult time as well as offer practical help. They can also assist you and your loved one in contacting your clergy or locating representation of your own religious traditions.

Camp Chrysalis

For a child, the loss of a loved one can be devastating, and understanding the feelings that come afterwards can be confusing. VNA’s Camp Chrysalis, a bereavement-focused camp, offers a way for children who has experienced a death to better understand and cope with their emotions.

Camp Activities

Camp Chrysalis offers a combination of fun, outdoor activities and therapeutic sessions for the children by VNA trained counselors and staff. Taking place in the fall and spring, camp activities are designed to help children work through their grief and understand that their emotions are a normal part of the grieving process. Camp Chrysalis includes:

  • Recreational activities
  • Therapeutic exercises
  • Mediation
  • Aromatherapy
  • Music therapy

Camp Chrysalis may be the first step on their personal grief journey, and it is currently the only camp in our community focused on children and their unique and personal bereavement needs. Camp Chrysalis is made possible by the Otis G. Pike Charitable Trust and Quail Valley Charities.

There is no cost to attend Camp Chrysalis, but children must be Indian River County residents between the ages of 6 and 12.

Ceremony of Remembrance

One of VNA Hospice’s landmark programs is its Ceremony of Remembrance. This event is held twice a year for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one and honors hospice patients and families served by the VNA. Family and friends have the opportunity to share photos and memories during the ceremony.