Grief is a natural process, which requires support to meet its diverse needs within the stated time. Indeed, the standards set by the company impact services offered to the bereaved (Agnew, Manktelow & Donaghy 2008, p. 163). Organizations have formalized their policies based on effective procedures to solve general issues facing society. This case study talks about the organization’s responsibilities in handling Mrs. Garry’s death and the attitude of the care center after the death of Mrs. Garry. The paper analyzes the organization’s approach in providing for George, whose mother has passed. Its major discussion falls under, the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures of supporting the bereaved.
The main intent of this paper is to ascertain how the company employed its bereavement practices and the policies governing its implementation. The essential principles for bereavement services include confidentiality, respect, equality and diversity, and quality (Cherlin 2007, p. 151; Bergman & Haley 2009, p. 170). Regarding confidentiality, the bereavement services of the hospital respected the privacy of the patient. The palliative care team recognized the dying needs of Mrs. Garry and shared information with Mrs. Garry’s school as she had directed. Sharing the information only came after they received consent from George. The principle of respect was evident in how the palliative care team helped George in dealing with his grief. The team provided a support group for bereaved families, thereby giving them an opportunity to share their experiences. George acknowledges that the support group gave him sufficient experience to handle the bereavement process (Currow et al. 2008, p. 7; Bergman & Haley 2009, p. 170). The hospital was compassionate in how they treated George and remained sensitive to the needs of George and his mother.
The palliative care team was non-discriminatory in providing support groups to families. They responded to personal beliefs such as the individual decision by Mrs. Garry to have the school raise £300 for her requested charity. Responding to non-discriminatory practices is a standard that most studies recommend (Walsh 2008, p. 768). The hospital willingly took the bold step of carrying out these wishes. In relation to the quality, the organization is commended for delivering support to the bereaved. The support systems furnished George with the skills and knowledge of the bereavement process that made him more aware of his role. George now had the opportunity to work and improve on the services they support group offered.
The company’s policies are best practices in supporting the bereaved. The practices of the organization show that it is keen on taking up these policies and implementing them in bereavement care. The planning process of the care center addressed the needs of George and Mrs. Garry in the most appropriate way. Additionally, the services the hospital offered facilitated awareness through the support groups. The organization assessed the bereavement needs George and offered an appropriate support group. The support group allowed the hospital center to identify with the needs George. Last, the palliative care team offered its support and supervision throughout the whole process.
The current paper discusses the organization’s approach in providing full support to George’s mother, during the bereavement process. The findings reveal that the standards of the palliative care team fit with the service development standards of bereavement. The hospital effectively identified the services as well as the process, evaluated the process to identify provision gaps, developed a support group service that fit its findings, and disseminated their findings. These are components of a well-laid bereavement system.
References
Agnew, A, Manktelow, R, & Donaghy, K 2008, ‘User perspective on palliative care services: experiences of middle-aged partners bereaved through cancer known to social work services in Northern Ireland,’ Practice, vol. 20, no. 3, pp.163-80.
Bergman, E & Haley, W 2009, ‘Depressive symptoms, social network, and bereavement service utilization and preferences among spouses of former hospice patients,’ Journal of Palliative Medicine, vol. 12, no. 2, pp.170-176.
Cherlin, E, Barry, C, Prigerson, H, Green, D, Johnson-Hurzeler, R, Kasl, S & Bradley, E 2007, ‘Bereavement services for family caregivers: how often used, why, and why not,’ Journal of Palliative Medicine, vol. 10, no. 1, pp.148-58.
Currow, D, Allen, K, Plummer, J, Aoun, S, Hegarty, M and Abernethy, A 2008, ‘Bereavement help-seeking following an ‘expected’ death: A cross-sectional randomised face-to-face population survey,’ BMC Palliative Care, vo. 7, no. 19, 7-19.
Walsh, T, Foreman, M, Curry, P, Driscoll, S & McCormack, M 2008, ‘Bereavement support in an acute hospital: An Irish model,’ Death Studies, vol. 32, no. 8, pp.768-786.