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Loss & Dignity

The diagnosis of cancer presents a threat to the balance of the entire family system. Individuals may grieve the loss of the daily life they knew before, perhaps incorporating a new "normal" into a future that may look different from what they had planned.

Grief and Loss Program

Grieving is a complex process. The Cancer Center's Grief and Loss Program, Coping Through Transitions, offers assistance and information for those experiencing loss related to cancer. Through both counseling and yearly events, the Coping Through Transitions Program helps individuals and families evolve through the emotional phases of the cancer experience, providing support to those who have experienced the loss of a loved one secondary to cancer.

To learn more about the Program, call 734-615-4012; or visit the Grief Loss Program.

Hospice

Hospice care is usually delivered at home or in a home-like setting to persons in the final phase of a terminal illness. It neither hastens nor postpones death, but rather affirms life, emphasizing quality, not length. Hospice empowers patients to live with dignity, alert and pain-free, while involving families and loved ones in giving care.

Hospice care provides medical, psychosocial, social, spiritual and volunteer services. A hospice program is commonly staffed by an interdisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, chaplains, volunteers and pharmacists. Hospice care is covered by Medicare and most Medicaid and private insurance programs.

The Cancer Center's social work staff is available to assist with the transition to hospice care. They will provide you with information about hospice services in your area, address reimbursement issues and work with your healthcare team to facilitate the transition to hospice.

The adult and pediatric oncology social work staff can be reached Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the Guest Assistance Program at 800-888-9825 to assist you with these and many other issues.

See Also:

• Candle Lighting for Hope & Remembrance
  
  
• Hospice
  a service hosted on the UMHS web site

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UM Comprehensive Cancer Center
1500 East Medical Center Drive
CCC 6-303
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0944

This site is part of the U-M Health System. The information presented is not a tool for self diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. © 2007 U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center