Good grief – Dispelling the myths of grieving

By Steven V. Dubin

I go to more funerals than weddings these days.

And I’m not alone.

At the tender age of 67, I’m feeling that dread of updates from friends and family. “Did you hear about Uncle Harry? Our old next-door neighbor? They guy we used to work with?”

Living and dying are part of the human condition.

Some partings are harder than others.

That is why I reached out to Susan Drevitch Kelly.

Susan, a life coach, is a Harvard graduate, a South Shore Senior News monthly columnist and South Shore resident, and has been leading grieving support groups for more than four years.

She has lost several people very near and dear to her.

Fulfilling her father’s dying wish for her to give back to the community, Susan combined her life coaching experience and emotional intelligence skills to launch “Grieve Not Alone” and “Riding the Wave” programs at the Scituate Council on Aging.

For other resources, private and group counseling, Susan encourages senior and friends to reach out to their own senior center, local churches, New Beginnings, South Shore Hospital, Norwell VNA, Hope Floats, Cranberry Hospice, and Old Colony Hospice. She added that even funeral homes offer bereavement service.

Susan shared her insights and resources with listeners on a recent “My Generation” podcast sponsored by South Shore Senior News. To hear the podcast – visit https://youtu.be/1fKqwWdcs64.

To contact Susan directly, email susan@sdkelly.com.

If you know of a senior who is doing something interesting with their retirement, I look forward to hearing from you! Please email me at SDubin@PRWorkZone.com 

Steven V. Dubin is the founder of PR Works, a lightly used public relations firm based in Plymouth which helps small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies navigate the overwhelming options of advertising. Steve lives in Plymouth with his wife, Wendy. He is a contributing author to “Get Slightly Famous” and “Tricks of the Trade,” the complete guide to succeeding in the advice business. He recently authored “PR 101,” an E-book.