There is hope: Graham Morton outside Hope Bereavement Service’s headquarters. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 55575
Erin Pearson
A GEELONG support service for families mourning deceased children will expand its bereavement care to cover the death of adults, according to a spokesperson.
Hope Bereavement Service’s Graham Morton said a $14,000 grant from a Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund would help the service reach more families and individuals struggling with grief.
The service previously reached out to mourners battling to overcome the death of infants and children aged up to 18.
Mr Marton said a recent discussion with a woman helping her step-mother through grief had demonstrated the need for adult bereavement care in Geelong.
“I was talking with a lady in her 50s whose step-mother had recently lost her partner.
As a dutiful step-daughter she contacted her step-mother once a week but after several months she realised that since the death of her partner this was the only adult contact her step-mother was getting,” Mr Morton said.
“We want to provide support to these people to reconnect with social and community networks.”
Mr Morton said a 2009 Deakin University report recommended the establishment of an “appropriately resourced bereavement referral centre” in Geelong.
The grant would help the service act on the recommendations, he said.
“Our aim is to provide crisis bereavement information, establish a bereavement support help website and specialist bereavement support groups where they are needed in the community.”
Mr Morton said the service would run the program in Geelong in partnership with Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement.
Mr Morton said Hope Bereavement Service was looking forward to the expansion after serving the region for 25 years.
“It’s been a long journey.
“We’re a community-based group and we’ve applied for grant money from a number of organisations, one of which was the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.”
Mr Morton said the service helped mourners without government funding in partnership with SIDS and Kids Victoria.
Hope Bereavement Care’s services included counsellors, support groups, grief and trauma information and a 24-hour telephone support, he said.
Mr Morton asked anyone who wanted to make a donation to the service to phone 5226 7269 or visit www.givenow .com.au/bpbp.
