Hospice Community Offers Message of Condolence to the Citizens of Aurora

July 24, 2012

The staff and board of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, along with the entire hospice community, extend our deepest condolences to the many people who have been affected by the heartbreaking shooting in Aurora, Colorado last week.  Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are suffering and affected by this unfathomable tragedy.

Events like this shooting can produce significant grief responses -- to those who were in or had relatives in the theater that evening; to the larger communities of Aurora and Denver; and even to those of us in distant corners of the country. We encourage everyone affected by this tragedy to utilize resources that can help them cope with trauma and the grief that accompanies it.

When anyone dies, their community feels that loss.  When so many are affected through loss or injury as has happened in Aurora, the impact ripples and the effect is magnified. 

Today, more than ever, it is important for people to support one another and remember that everyone experiences tragedies and grief differently.   Some will turn inward, others will cry out in pain, while still others will suffer silently, hoping for a kind word or gesture.  Those in need should never be afraid to ask for help—from friends, family, coworkers, physicians or pastoral counselors. 

The need for bereavement services will continue long after this tragic event, donations to support this work can be made through the National Hospice Foundation Disaster Fund and will be designated to support these needs.  Funds may also be donated directly to the Colorado Center for Hospice and Palliative Care at 7400 East Arapahoe Road, Suite 211, Centennial, CO 80112.

Your community hospice can also be a source of information on grief and bereavement. Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, offers information on grief as well. No one needs to suffer alone in silence.

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Caring Connections has made four articles available on its website (www.caringinfo.org) that offer some additional thoughts on dealing with grief caused by tragic events like the Aurora shooting. Visit the Caring Connections website to access these articles.