Hospice Social Workers to Discuss Suicide Loss on 'Marty Heiser Show'

By Maja Tarateta

Two Regional Hospice and Home Care social workers will appear on The Marty Heiser Show on Comcast Channel 23 Thursday night to discuss suicide loss and survivors of suicide loss during the live, call-in show from 9-10 p.m.

The show will be rebroadcast on Comcast Channel 23 on Friday from 2-3 p.m. It will also be rebroadcast on Cablevision Channel 88 on Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. and on Charter Channel 21 on Friday from 5-6 p.m. and Saturday from 3-4 p.m.

Sheryl Renne, MSW, LCSW, Regional Hospice and Home Care social worker and facilitator of the Survivors of Suicide Loss support group held at the Healing Hearts Center for Grief and Loss, will appear along with Cheryl Koeber, LCSW, ACHP-SW, OSW-C, Regional Hospice and Home Care’s Director of Counseling Services.

“Survivors of suicide loss share a unique, intense bereavement,” said Renne, who has facilitated the suicide survivor support group since its creation nearly five years ago. “People are left grappling with the why.”

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), more than 39,000 people in the United States die by suicide each year, leaving millions of survivors who are trying to cope with the heartbreaking loss. In 2011, someone in America died by suicide every 13.3 minutes, according to the AFSP.

The Healing Hearts Center for Grief and Loss, located at 73 Stadley Rough Road in Danbury, has received national recognition for its unique bereavement programs and services for the community, including numerous support groups, workshops and programs provided to the public throughout the year. It hosts an annual event sponsored by the AFSP on International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (to be held on Nov. 22, 2014.) Anyone interested in joining a Healing Hearts support group should contact the Center at 203-792-4422.

The Healing Hearts Center for Grief and Loss is a program of Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT, Inc. Regional Hospice and Home Care is a nonprofit home hospice and palliative care agency based in Danbury that offers real hope to those facing advanced illness through patient-focused care, education, resources and advocacy. Its team of certified caregivers helps patients and families discover what end-of-life care can be — what can be gained, what can be realized and what can be recaptured. Its range of services includes medical, emotional, spiritual and comfort. Regional Hospice never turns patients away, regardless of the ability to pay. It is also home to the award-winning Healing Hearts Center for Grief and Loss, which offers a range of grief support services.

For more information, visit www.RegionalHospiceCT.org.