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Hospice Services and Grief Support Groups

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Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

Abstract

Hospice provides medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support for people with a life-limiting illness or injury. Approximately 45% of all deaths in the United States are in hospice. After the patient dies, hospices are mandated to provide bereavement services for a year after the death to family and friend caregivers of the deceased. We describe bereavement in caregivers who lose a loved one in hospice, including the occurrence of bereavement-related mental health disorders. We also review current data on bereavement services offered in hospice, including grief support groups, and their use and outcomes. Recommendations for next steps in hospice bereavement care provision and related research are outlined.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 2180 Third Ave., 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10035, USA

    Angela R. Ghesquiere Ph.D., M.S.W.

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  1. Angela R. Ghesquiere Ph.D., M.S.W.
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Correspondence to Angela R. Ghesquiere Ph.D., M.S.W. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachussetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Eric Bui

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Ghesquiere, A.R. (2018). Hospice Services and Grief Support Groups. In: Bui, E. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions . Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65241-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65241-2_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65240-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65241-2

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