An evening of remembrance

The UF Health Palliative Care team will host an evening of remembrance to help grievers honor their loved ones.

The UF Health Palliative Care team will host an evening of remembrance to help grievers honor their loved ones on Thursday, Sept. 29. The event is sponsored by the UF Health Bereavement program. In conjunction with two local hospices — Haven Hospice and Hospice of the Nature Coast — the evening will feature speakers, readings and a lighting ceremony.

“For a lot of people, it helps them to remember their loved one outwardly versus internally. When we cope with our grief and bereavement, a lot of times we do it internally,” said Cathy Silloway, LCSW, ACHP-SW, a UF Health Shands Patient and Family Resources palliative care social worker. “For some that’s plenty, but others cope better when it’s in a more external way: telling stories and memories about the person.”

Guests are encouraged to bring a photo of those they are grieving to display on the remembrance table. This invites discussions and conversations and shows people that they aren’t alone in the grieving process.

“There’s no one way to cope with loss and grief, and different things help different folks,” Silloway said. “For some it’s a program like this, but I hope people find there are resources to help them in their journey.”

UF Health also offers bereavement support through monthly grief workshops and quarterly emails to help grievers through the healing process.

Evening of remembrance

6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29

UF’s Baughman Center

982 Museum Road

Free and open to the public.

For more information call 352-265-0111 x44208 or email adultbereavement@shands.ufl.edu.