PRESS RELEASE: October 25, 2007 For Immediate Release
MEDIA CONTACT:
Beverly Crowl, Public Relations Specialist
302-547-1816 bcrowl@delawarehospice.org
Barbara A. McKeever, L.C.S.W., joins Delaware Hospice’s New Hope Program
Barbara A. McKeever, L.C.S.W., has joined Delaware Hospice as the New Hope Bereavement Counselor for New Castle County.
New Hopewas established in 1990 as a free bereavement program for youth aged 5-17. The first of its kind, New Hope has supported more than 1,200 children and adolescents since then and has become a model nationwide for dealing with grief and loss.
Barbara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Delaware Hospice. She has served as a Children’s Bereavement Counselor for the Hospice of Wake County, Raleigh, North Carolina, and as a Mental Health Therapist for a school-based program in Troga County Department of Mental Hygiene in New York. Barbara has also been an Oncology/Home Health Social Worker with Heartland Home Health Oncology Care. Academically, Barbara holds a B.S.W. from Mansfield University, an M.S.W. from Marywood University, and an R.N. Degree from Williamsport Hospital School of Nursing.
Delaware Hospice’s New Hope Program is based on the philosophy that children can be supported in the process of grief reconciliation if they are provided with opportunities to express their feelings. Counselors encourage children to communicate their emotions and thoughts in a variety of ways and in an environment where each child’s intelligence, curiosity, culture, and family system are respected. In this process, children are given information, choices, and are taught positive coping techniques. As a result, children will grow in the knowledge that they are loved, safe, and that they have not been abandoned.
The New Hope staff recognizes that bereavement is more than a year-long process. Children spend much of their lives growing through their grief. Each milestone, such as a birthday, graduation, or marriage, can bring up strong feelings of loss for the loved one who is not there to share in the child’s important moments. During the twelve months following the death of a loved one, the New Hope staff strives to provide children with emotional support and information, and to teach them skills to cope with their grief. Follow-up with children who have participated in New Hope over the years indicates that these techniques are successful in sustaining children throughout their lives.
The annual highlight of the New HopeProgram is Camp New Hope. This inspiring day camp connects children in similar age groups in order to help them to process their feelings of loss and grief. The children are encouraged to express themselves by creating art projects such as murals, memory boxes, pillows, and clay sculpting. They sing, participate in role-play, discuss their feelings in a one-on-one setting, enjoy group discussion with peers and counselors, play, exercise, and find that they are not alone in their grief.
To learn more about the New Hope Program or Delaware Hospice, go to www.delawarehospice.org or call 800-838-9800.
About Delaware Hospice
Since 1982, Delaware Hospice has provided exceptional care and support to 30,000 patients and their families. Its mission is to help each patient, each day, live the fullest, most comfortable life possible. Delaware Hospice is the largest and only licensed, nonprofit, community-based hospice serving New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware and southern Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania. For more information about Delaware Hospice’s programs and services, upcoming events, or employment opportunities, call 800-838-9800 or visit our website,
Delaware
Hospice is accredited by JCAHO.
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