A free six-week grief support group for adults who have lost a parent starts Thursday, August 6, at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth St. Thomas Hospice, 119 E. Ogden Ave., Hinsdale.

Maureen Jordan, the hospice's bereavement coordinator, will lead the group at 6 p.m. Thursdays through Thursday, September 10. No cost, no insurance required. Call (630) 856-6990 for information or to sign up.

Jordan, who holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Northwestern University and a master's in social work from the University of Chicago, stepped into the bereavement coordinator role in February 2026 after 12 years working in hospice care. She told The Hinsdalean that losing a parent brings a tangle of emotions beyond grief itself: changed family roles, regret, gratitude, and sometimes the need for forgiveness.

"I try to normalize their feelings and help them to understand that grief is not something you can rush," Jordan said.

The group is built around a simple idea: people who share a similar loss can help each other breathe a little easier. Jordan said participants will have space to express grief, share memories, and learn from one another's experiences. She recently facilitated a group for people who lost a spouse, and members of that group exchanged contact information and plan to keep supporting each other independently.

Jordan draws on her own experience. After personal losses, she attended a support group herself and described the feeling as being "like a fish put into water." That moment shaped her career path.

Talking about grief with family members isn't always comfortable, Jordan explained, because loved ones often want to fix something that cannot be fixed. A structured group with a trained facilitator offers something different.

Other free grief services in Hinsdale

The parent-loss group is one piece of a broader network of free bereavement programs the hospice offers the community. Tommy's Kids Camp, a summer day camp for children ages 5 to 12 who have experienced loss, is held at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. Tommy's Kids and Teens serves children ages 4 to 16 in age-appropriate groups, with a simultaneous support group for parents and caregivers. Family Night, a monthly program, brings children, teens, and their families together for memory activities and breakout support groups.

For adults who have lost a spouse or significant other within the previous 24 months, an ongoing support group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth La Grange. Registration is required for that group.

The hospice also maintains the Annual Tree of Remembrance, a tradition since 1993, displayed at the corner of Lincoln and First streets in Hinsdale from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

All bereavement services are free, Jordan said. To learn more or to register for the August 6 group, call (630) 856-6990.

Hinsdale week ahead

• Thursday, August 6, 6 p.m. — UChicago Medicine AdventHealth St. Thomas Hospice, 119 E. Ogden Ave. First session of the free six-week grief support group for adults who have lost a parent. Call (630) 856-6990 for information.
• Tuesday, October 6, 9–11:30 a.m. — The Community House, 415 W. Eighth St. Free Aging Well Resource Fair with keynote by Barry Bradford at 9 a.m., brunch at 10 a.m., and resource fair at 10:30 a.m. Advance registration required; call 630-323-7500.