Natick, Mass. - (December 3, 2012) – The holidays are here, and for many, it is a time for celebration. Individuals who have lost a loved one, however, may wonder how they will get through the holiday season.

“We know how difficult it is to lose a loved one,” said Judith Boyko, MBA, MS, RN, CEO of Century Health Systems and Natick Visiting Nurse Association. “And while many people are in festive moods, the holidays can really put a damper on those who have recently lost a family member or friend or who are experiencing the holidays for the first time after a loss.”

Boyko suggests that it is not only healthy to grieve the loss of someone, but she encourages people to reminisce and memorialize their loved one.

Pamela Fishman, LSW, CHP-SW, social worker with the Natick VNA, agrees. “Light a memory candle, make a special tree ornament or do something that will make you feel connected to that special person,” she said, “like planting a tree or perennials that inspire new life.”

Fishman added that grief takes on myriad forms. “The grieving process can be a roller coaster. Individuals who are grieving have bad days during which they go through their tunnel of grief. They also have okay days, during which they can get respite from their physical and emotional pain. But it is imperative that each individual who is grieving trusts their instincts and understands that there is neither a right way to grieve nor a wrong way.”

Although some individuals may try to get through the holidays without acknowledging their grief, Fishman recommends an alternative. “Surrounding oneself with others who will support and empathize really helps the process along – especially during a time when others are celebrating what many consider the ‘most wonderful time of the year.’”

The Natick VNA is located at 209 West Central Street, Suite 313, Natick, Mass., 01760. For additional information, call 508-653-3081 or visit www.natickvna.org.

About The Natick Visiting Nurse Association: The Natick VNA, which serves more than 20 towns in MetroWest, is the area’s premier free-standing, not-for-profit home health care agency. The Natick VNA helps patients of all ages to stay out of the hospital and live with the fullest degree of independence in their own homes, while benefiting from the agency’s state-of-the-art home telemonitoring technology, ComfortCare palliative care program, cold laser therapy, and other advanced services.