SARASOTA – Losing a loved one can be tough. But not being able to say goodbye properly due to pandemic has one non-profit seeing more residents take advantage of free resources to help start the grieving process.
Tidewell Hospice, the non-profit has been helping grieving families on the Suncoast since 1980. Recently Vice President of Grief Education & Support Services Kenneth Kinzie says more clients are turning to them to heal after losing a loved to complications related to COVID-19.
Kinzie says death is hard enough but not being able to be there in person is causing severe trauma and other mental health problems.
“You apply COVID to that, and they’ve not been able to visit or be with the patient. So there’s an additional layer of guilt because they weren’t able to be there, and even though they aren’t responsible for that they feel that loss or they could’ve done more,” said Kinzie. “They weren’t able to do what normally they would like to do.”
All grieving programs at the non-profit are funded by community partners and are free to residents along the Suncoast. Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly is expanding their meetings in Charlotte County.
The first meeting is on August 27th and will occur once a month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1st Alliance Church, located at 20444 Midway Blvd, Port Charlotte, FL.
Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly is the only evidence-based program on the Suncoast that helps grieving children, teens and caregivers through professional counseling, peer-support groups and therapeutic activities.