According to WSPA7, a Hendersonville native Clark Poole has started the first of it's kind support group with the help of Four Seasons.
Clark Poole volunteers as a retired therapist who works with the end of life care provided by Four Seasons. Now the largest provider of quality end of life care serving Western N.C., Four Seasons began in 1979 when the concept of hospice care was just beginning. They offer hospice and palliative care, as well as research and bereavement services. This month Poole took the programs already in place for humans to bring help to those who need assistance in dealing with the loss of a pet.
Poole told WSPA "when you lose a family member or dear friend, you got all kinds of support. There are funerals, wakes, and memorial services but when you lose a pet, people don't know how to deal with it."
Healthcare professionals refer to pet grief as disenfranchised, which means grief over a pet isn't acknowledged by society. Those who have recently lost a pet are sometimes made to feel worse by the lack of compassion offered by friends and co-workers. Poole's new group will allow those dealing with grief to meet and share stories about their loss.
Grief in losing a pet can be overwhelming. There are many online support groups, ranging from sites where those left behind can post a photo or make a connection with another who has lost a pet. Some of these online sites offer free services to an extent. They may also sell memorial products associated with pets. One online bereavement group that charges a membership fee offers a chat room experience for members.
The Four Seasons based pet bereavement group experience is for those who prefer a hands-on type of support where members physically meet at scheduled times. This is what Clark Poole is now offering those in the Hendersonville area, where he's taking his experience as a retired therapist and hospice volunteer, and applying that knowledge to those grieving the loss of a pet.
More information can be obtained by contacting Clark Poole at (828)458-9391 or clarkpoole@yahoo.com
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