Having lost her spouse of 32 years, Mellhina knows the profiund impact grief can have. The loss left her grappling with not just an emotional void, but also a change in her sense of self. She had spent the past three decades as one half of a couple – what now?
Like many people who experience grief, Mellhina found herself feeling like an outsider in her once familiar circle of friends. That’s when she found the Desert Valley Hospice Society’s Stepping Out of Grief program – a community initiative that brings together those grieving a loved one for monthly gatherings filled with personal stories, opportunities to connect, and activities like theater, music, and exercise, and is complete with meals and transportation.
Thanks to an Age Better grant from HelpAge Canada, the Stepping Out of Grief program helped 15 older people, including Mellhina, enjoy time together outside their homes, supporting each other on their healing journeys.
For Mellhina, the opportunity to take part in Stepping Out of Grief was a game changer.
“Going out with the Stepping Out of Grief program, everyone [knew what it felt like] to be on their own. It created a common bond and a level of understanding of each other beyond words or repetitive conversations. Being a couple is wonderful, but life is good in a herd as well!”
Now, Mellhina is stepping out of grief and moving forward alongside a community of resilient people who have walked where she’s walked. In her own words, she’s found her herd.
You can power community programs like these with a donation to HelpAge Canada. Our work educates, funds, and supports community-led initiatives across Canada and around the world, so that everyone can age better in the places they live.