Bluebird's bereavement program supports families for more than a year after a loss.
Phone calls, mailings at the harder dates, support groups, and one-on-one counseling — all covered by the Medicare hospice benefit, all yours to use as much or as little as feels right.
A licensed bereavement counselor or social worker, by phone or in person, on whatever schedule works for you. Some families want weekly conversations for a few months. Some want a single conversation at the six-month mark. Both are normal, and both are covered.
Local groups in Oakland County where you can sit with other people who've lost someone. Some are general grief groups. Some are specific — loss of a spouse, loss of a parent, loss after a long illness. The right group depends on where you are.
The one-month mark. The six-month mark. The first birthday. The first anniversary of the loss. A short, personal letter from someone on our bereavement team — and a reminder that we're still here when you need us.
Some grief needs more than what we offer. When it does, we'll connect you with counselors, therapists, and community programs across Oakland County who specialize in the kind of support you need.
There is no enrollment, no paperwork, and no cost. If your family received care through Bluebird, the bereavement program is already yours.
The "five stages" idea — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance — has been part of the culture for so long that most people assume it's the map. It isn't. Grief loops, doubles back, skips parts, and surfaces in places nobody warned you about. There is no order. There is no finish line.
The third month is often harder than the first. The first holiday season can be harder than the funeral. A song in the grocery store can undo a whole month of feeling steady. None of this means you're doing it wrong.
Your sleep changes. Your appetite changes. Your immune system runs differently. Bodies grieve, and they need care while they do.
Thirteen months is the length of our program — it isn't the length of your grief. Some losses settle in a year. Some take longer. Some keep changing shape for the rest of a lifetime. All of that is grief working the way grief works.
This is one of the most common, least-talked-about parts of losing someone after a long illness. Relief that they're no longer in pain, that you're no longer on call, that the worst-case is now behind you — and grief, deep grief, underneath it all. Both are true. Both are allowed.
Not all grief support comes from us, and it shouldn't. Some families need a different kind of conversation, a different setting, or a counselor with a specific specialty. Here are the resources we point families toward most often.
A national peer-support organization for parents, siblings, and grandparents who have lost a child of any age. Free, confidential, monthly local meetings.
Free grief support groups in Northville and Bloomfield — including widow/widower, sudden loss, and adult children of aging parents. Eight-week structured programs.
A 13-week Christian-rooted grief recovery program offered through several Oakland County churches. Open to anyone of any faith or no faith — the framework is gentle, not doctrinal.
24/7 free, confidential support for people in distress. Call or text 988 from anywhere in the US. Trained counselors. No appointment needed. Always there.
If you're not sure where to start, call (248) 264-3704 and ask to speak with our bereavement coordinator. We'll help you figure out which kind of support fits — even if the answer isn't us.
Some families want us to call. Some want to call us. Some want a quiet email instead. Whichever fits, leave your information below and our bereavement coordinator will reach out within two business days.
If your loved one was a Bluebird patient, you're already enrolled in the program — this form just lets us know you'd like contact. If your loved one was cared for elsewhere, you're still welcome to ask; we'll let you know how we can help and connect you with local resources if we're not the right fit.
