One of life’s most painful truths is that death and grief will eventually touch us all. It affects every age group, ethnicity, and gender. Young adults, ages 18 to 25, are often the least likely to receive support. And yet, according to the numbers, there are many who would benefit. The Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model for 2020 calculates that in the State of Michigan, 1 in 13 children (173,000) will experience the death of a sibling or parent by the age of 18. This number more than doubles by the age of 25 (423,000).
Why don’t young adults seek help?
There are multiple reasons a younger person doesn’t get help for their grief, including life transitions such as college enrollment, moving away from family, and entering the workforce. Within these life transitions, young adults are still developing their identities and bereavement care can be paramount in decreasing the possibility of complications of grief, such as prolonged depression or anxiety.
Lory’s Place is working to reach more young adults experiencing grief while they navigate school, social settings, and normal everyday living. A new pilot program has been started to assist these individuals with making sense of their loss and provide healthy coping strategies among their peers. This group is the first of its kind at Lory’s Place and the staff have created an environment that considers all the unique circumstances encountered by this younger demographic.
If you know someone who could benefit from a program like this, please encourage them to call Lory’s Place at 269.983.2707. The phone line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week because taking that first step toward healing is different for everyone.