Grief recovery program to help the vulnerable in Sudbury
The Samaritan Centre is multi-agency facility that offers services for Sudbury’s vulnerable population dealing with barriers like homelesssness, food insecurity, mental health and addiction isssues.
It recently received funding from the Sudbury Community Foundation for grief recovery training for staff to offer to clients.
Officials with the Samaritan Centre said that right now, vulnerable people have been deeply impacted by devastating grief-related issues compounded by the opioid crisis and the pandemic.
"We are seeing a sea change, so a profound shift in grief and loss. Grief is our emotional response to loss," said Lisa Long, the executive director of The Samaritan Centre.
Long said clients are facing innumerable losses right now.
"Whether it’s the loss of a person, a loved one, estrangement from family, the loss of housing, the loss of employment, pets etc. So we will be able to through grief recovery support them in their grief, in their loss," said Long.
Gerry Lougheed, of the Lougheed Funeral Home in Sudbury, has been helping people dealing with grief for 47 years and volunteers his time to help the vulnerable. He said he believes the new service at The Samaritan Centre will help clients better deal with their losses.
"A lot of them have unresolved bereavement issues some of them have actually ended up in that circumstance of life because they actually didn’t handle a bereavement situation well," Lougheed said.
"A child who died, all of a sudden they started to get addicted to tranquilizers or alcohol, a marital situation fell apart. So what Lisa is doing is most important with bringing light to that darkness."
The Samaritan Centre said it hopes grief recovery sessions will have a trickle-down effect.
"When our clients are able to better manage their grief and loss it’s going to help them better manage their lives and we are really excited about that to be able to support them in that," said Long.
The grief recovery sessions will be held in person and online.
The program is excepted to up and running in the next couple of weeks once training is complete.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.