Bereavement Needs Assessment of the NYC Metropolitan Area

While Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) Hospice Care provides an extensive array of bereavement resources to loved ones of hospice patients, the organization currently offers only limited grief and loss services to the non-hospice community. As VNSNY continues to strive for excellence in helping to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the community, the organization has chosen the Capstone team to document and assess current bereavement needs and available services in New York City. In order to complete this venture, the team connected with many local community leaders, bereaved individuals, and health care professionals. The overarching goals of this project are threefold. First, the team assessed what resources are currently available to people experiencing grief and loss in the New York City area. Second, the team identified what types of services are needed, yet are currently lacking. Finally, the team made recommendations and provided strategies for how VNSNY can expand its bereavement services to the hospice and non-hospice populations in New York City, filling the gap between what is currently available and what is needed. Through research conducted via surveys, key informant interviews, and case studies, the team created the content for a free, online directory of bereavement services that exist in New York City that bereaved individuals and key stakeholders can easily access. The team also identified and considered the unique bereavement needs of different demographic populations, specifically those of different cultures, religions, genders, and age groups.