Alderwood’s free grief groups welcome adults beyond hospice families
Adults in the provider’s service area can seek community support without a prior patient connection. A separate October conference will focus on losses that are often overlooked.
Davidson County adults coping with a loved one’s death can turn to Alderwood’s free community grief groups even if the person who died never received care from the organization.
Alderwood of Davidson County, formerly Hospice of Davidson County, says the groups are open to adults 18 and older in its service area. Its offerings include conversation groups and creative activities, with advance registration required for creative sessions and supplies provided at no charge.
The community programs operate separately from Alderwood’s upcoming professional conference on grief and loss. Residents seeking personal support do not need to attend that educational event to ask about the organization’s groups or counseling services.
Alderwood’s event calendar lists an in-person grief group on the first Wednesday of each month from 2 to 3 p.m. and a virtual group on the last Wednesday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Creative sessions are listed for the first Thursday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and the fourth Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
For people who prefer individual support, Alderwood advertises short-term bereavement counseling. Its broader counseling service also offers individual and family sessions for people facing serious illness or the death of a loved one, with virtual and campus appointments among the options.
Grief can begin before a death, particularly for someone caring for a loved one whose death is expected. The National Institutes of Health describes this as anticipatory grief. Its guidance also notes that people express loss differently: some find conversation helpful, while others turn to writing, painting or physical activity. NIH advises speaking with a health care provider when grief makes everyday activities such as sleeping, dressing or preparing meals difficult.
Alderwood’s professional conference, “Loss in the Margins,” is scheduled for Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Davidson-Davie Community College in Thomasville. Featuring Laura Wheat, the $50 program will examine grief among underserved populations and ways professionals can support people whose losses are marginalized. Conference details
Residents seeking community support can call 336-475-5444. Alderwood also offers a support-group email list through its counseling webpage. The organization cautions that the public form is for nonclinical inquiries and should not include medical histories or confidential clinical information. Contact and email-list information
