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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.