Financial Side of Grief and Loss

During the turmoil of grief, you may find yourself faced with having to make financial and legal decisions. While it may not seem fair, these affairs still need attention. The bereaved often ask us for help and assistance as they don’t know where to turn. Here are some tips:

Financial tasks that need to occur after a death are:

• Securing benefits
• Paying taxes
• Changing ownership or title

Find these important documents:

• Multiple copies of the death certificate
• All insurance policies
• Social Security numbers
• Military discharge papers
• Marriage certificates
• Deceased’s will or estate plan
• List of assets
• Deceased’s most recent income tax return

Other people can assist you. Seek counsel from:

• Benefits administrator from your loved ones’ job
• Accountant or lawyer
• Professional financial planner

We know this is a difficult time and financial details may be the last thing you want to think about. Please do not feel rushed to make any decisions and know that there is support and help for you.

Do Support Groups Help?

Support groups help people through the process of coping with grief and loss. The emotional support and social networks can be an effective alternative to relying solely on family and friends. However, many people ask: Is a support group right for me? What's my commitment? Should I pick a six-week series or a monthly group? What will it be like when I go? Who will greet me? What if I don't know anybody? What if I don't have anything to share?

When asked what was helpful, group member's commented:

"I was just able to say how I felt."

"It was a safe place to share."

"The reading material that was handed out."

"Knowing it's okay to grieve."

"Being able to listen to others and realize they had similar feelings."

"Realizing that the various emotions, up or down, were O.K."o share."


The bereavement center offers both weekly and monthly groups. The weekly groups require registration and meet for 6-8 weeks. The monthly groups are open and on-going. All groups are free and open to the community. It's all about personal preference and what works best for you.

We offer a wide variety of groups to meet a wide variety of interest and needs.
For a complete and current listing, please click here for more information.
http://www.hospicewr.org/media/AG_SupportGroups_Spring101.pdf

When Men Grieve

In our society, men are often the forgotten grievers. They are taught as young boys to "be strong" and that "men don't cry". Men are often silent, solitary grievers who immerse themselves in activity.

It is important to realize that, as no two people grieve the same, men and women also experience grief differently. Because of their different responses to grief, men are often misunderstood as expressing their grief in an unhealthy way or not grieving at all.

Thomas Golden, well-known grief counselor and author of Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing states, "While women typically express and share their grief and look to the past, most men won't verbalize their pain and often deny they are sad. They are also more likely to take action, such as setting up a trust fund or creating a memorial. The important thing is that the activity connects you with the pain. If it does, then it's a healing process."

Men often respond to support well when it is centered on an activity. They may be able to process their grief while engaging in a specific pursuit with others rather than trying to talk one on one. The activity facilitates the expression of feelings.

During difficult times in our lives, we develop skills that help us cope and which we draw upon in times of great sorrow. Our culture dictates the acceptable ways men and women are allowed to express their pain. Since our culture continues to view men who cry as taboo, they are raised to express pain differently. This understanding may help men move through their pain and use their special strengths to support them through their time of grief.

Please think about joining our Men's Grief Group which meets the first Wednesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. in the bereavement center.