The Importance of Quality Bereavement Care: A Spotlight on George Mark Children’s House, California

Experiencing the death of a loved one is one of life’s most profound challenges. For families, especially those dealing with the loss of a child, compassionate bereavement care is an essential part of the grief process. Quality bereavement care goes beyond addressing emotional needs; it supports families in navigating their grief with dignity and respect while ensuring they feel cared for during such a difficult time. For medical professionals, having the right resources and training to provide this level of care is equally crucial, as it empowers them to approach these sensitive moments with confidence and compassion.

George Mark Children’s House stands out as a beacon of compassionate care, creating an environment where families and healthcare professionals alike feel supported in delivering and receiving the care they deserve. Their innovative approach to bereavement care sets a high standard for the healthcare community, making an immeasurable difference in the lives they touch.

We spoke to Cindy Fields (CF) – Social Worker and Leo Keegan (LK) – Chaplain, at George Mark’s Children’s House about the incredible with their team does daily to care for their families.

1. How does your hospice create a supportive, family-centered environment that helps families navigate their  grief? Are there any specific approaches that make your bereavement care unique?

2. What are some of the most meaningful bereavement support services that your hospice offers to families, and how do you tailor these services to meet individual needs? 

ANSWERS TO 1 & 2:

LK –  We provide a tour of GMCH prior to any respite stay or End-of-Life (EOL) stay.  If it is EOL stay, we introduce legacy building activities as well and end of life process and funeral arrangements.  As we always say, “Once you are a George Mark family you are with us forever”.  What makes GM unique are the aftercare services, including counseling support, bereavement support groups several times a year, Annual Service of Remembrance and other activities throughout the year.

CF: Each family receives a memorial stone in memory of their child which is placed at the memorial fountain on the facility property families can come back and visit anytime to spend time at the facility or walk the grounds. Our Chaplain sends out annual cards to bereaved families to recognize their child’s birth and death. 

3. How do you balance the need for emotional support with the practical aspects of post-death care? What steps do you take to ensure families are given enough time, space, and privacy during such a sensitive time?

LK: Each family and child’s death has its own story.  No two deaths are the same.  We aim to meet the family where they are, and our Child Life Specialist focuses on spending time with siblings to assist them in any way that helps/supports them in coping with the death of their sib.   We share what is available to them in terms of bereavement support and let them tell us what they need.  

4. Can you share how your team helps families feel empowered to make decisions about their child’s care and their own grief journey?

5. What role do follow-up services, such as counselling and support groups, play in your bereavement care program? How do you ensure ongoing support for families after the immediate loss?

ANSWERS TO 4 & 5:

LK: The psych-social team (composed of the Child Life Specialist, Chaplain, Social Worker, Volunteer Coordinator) is a very cohesive group and works carefully and consciously to provide the best care for each patient and their family. 

CF: We listen and listen to what families want and seek to meet them where they are in in their grief journey. 

6. In what ways do you involve the wider community or collaborate with other organisations to provide additional support to families going through bereavement?

CF: We collaborate with Kids and Art Foundation in offering bereavement art workshops for our families. We also collaborate with Art For Life in providing our families with the opportunity to create a memorial tile for their child which is placed on a memorial wall at our facility. We seek to connect families to therapists and bereavement groups in the community. We also seek to partner families with each other in providing support to one another as they navigate their grief journey which is an ongoing process. 

The incredible team at George Mark Children’s House continues to lead the way in transforming how we think about death care and bereavement. Their dedication to providing not just support but also lasting comfort to families during their most vulnerable moments is truly inspiring. By offering a model of excellence, they remind us all of the importance of compassion in the face of loss.

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