Caregiver & Grief Support

Grief support is available to hospice and palliative care families who have experienced the death of a loved one.

The death of a loved one can change your world forever. So much of how we define ourselves and what gives our lives meaning is a reflection of the people we deeply love. When they die, we question who we are without them and struggle to find meaning and purpose. Grief is the high price we pay for loving someone and can be felt mentally, emotionally and physically. If you are grieving or supporting someone who is grieving, we hope that you will find the following information to be helpful and comforting.View our Service Area here

At Adoray Hospice, we believe that:

Grief is a normal and natural response to the death of a loved one.
Within each person is the innate capacity to heal.
The duration and intensity of the grief experience are unique for each person.
A supportive and caring environment can facilitate the process of healing.
We are here to support you. Please call 715.629.1888 or 800.359.0174 to speak with a grief and loss expert or explore our website for additional information and resources.

Britta Ruff, Support Services Manager & Bereavement Coordinator can be contacted at b.ruff@adoray.org

Let Us Help

Adoray’s philosophy of bereavement support encourages the expression of grief through listening, normalizing and validating an individual’s unique experience. An important part of our mission at Adoray is our strong commitment to serving those who have been touched by loss. Our bereavement program is comprehensive, diverse and tailored to meet the needs of our families.

Services Provided:

Full Circle After Care
Check-in Phone Calls
Adoray's Waves of Grief Support Newsletter
Chaplain Support
Bereavement Counseling
Bereavement Companion Program
Grief Book Club
In-Person Grief Support Group
Virtual Grief Support Group
Grief Support for Facility Staff
Educational Presentations
Referral to Community and Online Resources

Adoray's Waves of Grief Newsletters

Grief Support Resources

Please use this section of our website to explore outside resources on grief healing for adults, children, and families.

Grief Resources:

Speaking Grief - Documentary that includes interviews, short educational videos and written resources.
Open to Hope - Articles and interviews about grief
What’s Your Grief - Articles about grief

Grieving Children and Teens:

The Dougy Center-The National Center for Grieving Children and Families
National Alliance for Grieving Children-Videos, articles, and activities to help grieving children and families

Grieving 20 to 40 Year Olds

The Dinner Party - Virtual community for 20 to 40 years who have experienced loss.

Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child:

Compassionate Friends - Support group network for parents grieving the loss of a child
Halos of St Croix Valley

Grief Groups:

Grief Share - In person grief groups
Bakken Young - In person grief groups and virtual coffee conversations.
Grief in Commons
My Grief Angels

Grief Support Events

Grief can shake us to our very core. Yet, it is an experience common to all of humanity. Remembering together can be a significant part of finding our way along the grief journey and fostering continuing bonds with our loved ones.

Each year, Adoray sponsors events to honor the lives of those who have been important to you and support you through your grief journey. Remembering is made up of so much — happy times, sad times, lessons taught, lessons learned, the things we are grateful for as well as the things we could have done without. All of these things are part of keeping memories real and alive in our hearts and minds. Join us at one of our upcoming events.

Grief Book Clubs & Support Groups

Grief Book Clubs

All are welcome. The goal is to have the book completed before the meeting. However, those who are not able to finish the book can still find value in the discussion and are encouraged to attend. These events are FREE and open to the public, thanks to our generous donors.

To Register & Questions? Please contact Britta Ruff at 715-928-9983 or b.ruff@adoray.org

August 6th - 3PM -Adoray Office – 990 Main Street, Suite 1, Baldwin, WI 54002

The Long Goodbye by Meghan O’Rourke

September 17th - 3PM - Adoray Office – 990 Main Street, Suite 1, Baldwin, WI 54002

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

October 29th - 3PM - Adoray Office – 990 Main Street, Suite 1, Baldwin, WI 54002

The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O’Connor


Grief Support Group (Online)

Grief is a universal experience, however, is unique to every individual and loss. Adoray recognizes that even though we all go through grief at some point in our lives, it can feel isolating when your whole world has changed. This group is meant to provide mutual support through sharing grief experience, education and a medium to keep the memory of those we have lost alive. 

Join our online facebook Grief Support Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/710197834553012


Grief Support Group (In-Person)

At Adoray Home Health & Hospice, we believe that care extends far beyond the bedside. Supporting those who are navigating the difficult journey of grief is a vital part of our mission, whether you’re a patient’s loved one or a member of our wider community.

We are grateful and honored to share that, in response to the interest expressed, we will now be offering a monthly in-person grief support group to provide connection, comfort, and compassionate understanding to those who are grieving.

Adoray Grief Support Group (In Person)
Meets every 4th Thursday of the month at 3:00 PM
Adoray Office – 990 Main Street, Suite 1, Baldwin, WI 54002

This group is open to anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one, whether your grief is fresh or something you’ve carried for years, you are welcome here. Together, we will create a safe and supportive space to share your story, reflect, and connect with others walking a similar path.

No registration is required. Just come as you are.


For questions or more information, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 715-928-9983 or b.ruff@adoray.org.

With compassion, Britta Ruff, MSW, APSW

 

Love Lights (Remembrance Ceremony)

Remember family & friends as Love Lights shine in our community!

A Heartfelt Thank You to everyone who participated in our 2024 Love Lights on Saturday, December 7th, at Bailey Park in Baldwin. With 95 individuals remembered during the Tree Lighting Ceremony, it was truly a heartwarming evening.

Stay tuned for information about our 2025 Love Lights Remembrance Ceremony




     

Testimonials

  • I want to thank you again for all the kind, considerate and wise support you have offered me in the past 13 months. You always had the best "pearls" in words at each stage of my grief. I know I'm not "there" yet, but those "pearls" surface and help me embrace my feelings.
    – wife of a hospice patient

  • Thank you for the kind and thoughtful ways you have shown me light and hope. From tears to dreams you accept it all, with grace and understanding. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Like the bird in the tree we can, I can, weather life's storms and losses.
    – wife of a hospice patient

  • Our heartfelt thanks for all your kindness in caring for my mother during her illness and death. I know it was a great comfort to my Mom to have you folks involved with her care. There was also comfort for us in having some of the same people who cared for my Dad. Thanks also for coming to the memorial service, it was much appreciated and makes it obvious that you are part of a loving process of caring for the dying person and family, and not just running a business. Keep up the fine work!
    – son of a hospice patient

  • Thank you for your help and support these last couple of months while [our loved one] has been in hospice. You have all been very supportive, loving and kind while caring for [him] in his final days on this earth. Thank you also for the beautiful rose arrangement and grief support materials.
    – wife and family of a hospice patient

  • I had no idea how much your support would mean to us at the end of my wife’s life. Having Adoray and your kind people was like a warm light from heaven above during my wife’s last few days. Your people were comforting and very loving during this most difficult time.
    – husband of a hospice patient