Library for Bereaved Children and Teens

Princeton HomeCare Services
208 Bunn Drive
Princeton, NJ 08540
Lower Level

Princeton HomeCare Services, through its Hospice Program, provides bereavement services for our Hospice families -- as well as for those individuals in the community -- who have experienced the death of a loved one.

We also have a lending library for bereaved children, offering books specifically written for toddlers through teens to help them understand and cope with loss.  Other library resources include art projects, coloring books, hand-outs, videos and pamphlets.

Understanding that how children manage their grief is closely interwined with how the adults in their lives are coping, we have designed the library to be educational for the whole family.  It is a cozy, comfortable space for families to come together for respite, comfort, learning, laughing, remembering and healing.  A hospice staff member or a trained volunteer will be available to help visitors locate appropriate resources and answer questions regarding bereavement.

To schedule an appointment to visit the library, or find out more about any of our bereavement resources, please contact JoAnn Laveman, Hospice Bereavement Coordinator, at (609) 497-4900 x 7909.  You also may call (609) 497-4900, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and ask to speak to a member of our hospice team.

The Hospice Program has professionally trained staff -- including licensed clinical social workers, hospice nurses, chaplains and bereavement volunteers --  and is available for a home visit, short-term individual bereavement counseling sessions, referrals to a therapist in the community if needed, and bereavement support groups.  Various topics, such as surviving the loss of a spouse/loved one, coping with holidays and anniversaries, and finding ways of remembering and healing, are discussed at monthly bereavement support group meetings held at the Princeton Senior Resource Center.  We also offer on-going bereavement support groups in the spring and fall that run for a series of eight sessions.  These groups are designed for participants to be in a small group (6-8 people) with others who have experienced a similar loss and are led by professional staff skilled in creating a safe, supportive environment.  Previous participants have indicated that being with others who are struggling with loss provided a very valuable forum for coping with their grief.