Hospice Alliance offering support group for children

Hospice Alliance is pleased to offer Connections – Planting Seeds of Hope, a support group for children and their trusted adults. Groups, which start up again Thursday, Oct. 20, are offered on the third Thursday of each month through the school year from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. at Hospice Alliance, 10220 Prairie Ridge Blvd. in Pleasant Prairie.

Children ages 2-18 are welcome, and each must be accompanied by an adult. The support group is open to all children and not limited to families with loved ones who received end-of-life care with Hospice Alliance.

“After seeing a gap in service in our community, we launched Connections last fall,” said Rita Hagen, Hospice Alliance, Executive Director, “We follow the school calendar, offering the groups from October through May. We are excited to begin this second session in October after experiencing the initial response a year ago.” 

The program is managed by Jennifer Sytkowski, Bereavement Coordinator, Hospice Alliance, and a team of trained volunteers who serve as facilitators and assistants. The curriculum and activities involved are developmentally appropriate as children are grouped by age.

“Children who have experienced loss do not have to ‘stay stuck’ in an isolating, broken experience,” Sytkowski said. “We know that working through loss with the support of others can potentially teach resilience, empathy, creativity and perseverance. By honoring grief and integrating loss in healthy and meaningful ways, we can help support families. Connections is a powerful resource.”

For more information about Connections – Planting Seeds of Hope, visit hospicealliance.org or to register a child and trusted adult, email bereavement@hospicealliance.org or call (262) 652-4400.

About Hospice Alliance 

Hospice Alliance is the No. 1 provider of hospice care in southeastern Wisconsin and certified by The Joint Commission. We are committed to offering compassionate physical, emotional and spiritual care, and educating our patients, those who support them, and the communities we serve. Personalized care for patients and families who are facing life-limiting illnesses is available in the patient’s or loved one’s private home, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities and in the Hospice Alliance House located in Pleasant Prairie.  The Hospice House is the only 24/7 hospice care facilities of their kind in this corner of the state. Hospice Alliance was voted best in Kenosha for the last five years and is proud five-star member of the We Honor Veterans program. Hospice Alliance is your compassionate, community, non-profit hospice, incorporated in 1981. For more information, please call 262-652-4400 or visit www.hospicealliance.org.