NATIONAL BEREAVEMENT DAY

CHILDREN’S GRIEF AWARENESS DAY
NOVEMBER 19^th, 2020

November 19th is known internationally as Children’s Grief Awareness Day.

The blue butterfly represents hope and is used around the world to raise awareness for grieving children and youth who can be the ‘forgotten mourners’ when someone dies in their family. It is important to let them know we are here for them. In Canada, one child in 50 is bereaved.

NATIONAL BEREAVEMENT DAY
NOVEMBER 17^th, 2020

The third Tuesday in November marks the annual National Bereavement Day in Canada.

Bereavement refers to the time when a person experiences sadness after losing a loved one. On this day, BCHPCA encourages British Columbians and Yukoners to engage the government and all sectors in a provincial dialogue to identify and support access to the necessary resources for those living with grief and bereavement.

Hospices are here to help

Share your stories on social media!

Challenge British Columbians and Yukoners to ask each other about their grief and bereavement, and share their stories.

Don’t forget to tag BCHPCA on Facebook (bchospice.palliativecare) and Twitter (@BCHPCA) and use the hashtags:

#Grief2020
#GriefJourney
#SharedJourney
#childrensgriefawarenessday
#KidsGrief
#BCHPCA

Saying Goodbye in Challenging Times

Grief and bereavement support is an essential element of end of life care. Below we have three videos that highlight grief and saying goodbye during these unprecedented times and strategies that can help those during their journey of bereavement. We must foster compassion and encourage those to cope with their grief by supporting each other through living and grieving.

Gayle

Hospice Grief & Bereavement Volunteer
Prince George Hospice

Jessica Lowe

Executive Director
BC Bereavement Helpline (BCBH)

Mary Coleman

Palliative Councillor
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice

Canadian Virtual Hospice

The Canadian Virtual Hospice provides resources to families coping with grief. Hear from one family.

Grief is normal, and it is a process. Expressing grief is how a person reacts to the loss of a loved one. Many people think of grief as a single instance or as a short time of pain or sadness in response to a loss – like the tears shed at a loved one’s funeral. But grieving includes the entire emotional process of coping with a loss, and it can last a long time. The process involves many different emotions, actions, and expressions, all of which help a person come to terms with the loss of a loved one. We may hear the time of grief being described as “normal grieving,” but this simply refers to a process anyone may go through, and none of us experiences grief the same way. This is because grief doesn’t look or feel the same for everyone. And every loss is different. Many people are experiencing grief during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a normal response to loss during or after a disaster or other traumatic event. Grief can happen in response to loss of life, as well as to drastic changes to daily routines and ways of life that usually bring us comfort and a feeling of stability. Common grief reactions include:

Shock, disbelief, or denial
Anxiety
Distress
Anger
Periods of sadness
Loss of sleep and loss of appetite

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you might be unable to be with a loved one when they die, or unable to mourn someone’s death in-person with friends and family. Other types of loss include unemployment, or not making enough money, loss or reduction in support services, and other changes in your lifestyle. These losses can happen at the same time, which can complicate or prolong grief and delay a person’s ability to adapt, heal, and recover. Contact your local hospice for further support and be sure to watch our videos below about grief and other community support services.

Mourning often goes along with grief. While grief is a personal experience and process, mourning is how grief and loss are shown in public. Mourning may involve religious beliefs or rituals and may be affected by our ethnic background and cultural customs. The rituals of mourning − seeing friends and family and preparing for the funeral and burial or final physical separation − often give some structure to the grieving process. Sometimes a sense of numbness lasts through these activities, leaving the person feeling as though they are just “going through the motions” of these rituals.

Due to COVID, many have not been able to mourn in ways to allow them to move on. The CHPCA hosted a virtual concert for those that may have not been able to mourn for their loved ones during these times.

Please find link here.

Grief and mourning happen during a period of time called bereavement. Bereavement refers to the time when a person experiences sadness after losing a loved one.

Resources

BEREAVEMENT TIP

As a man, I too grieve.
Studies have shown that men are more likely than women to remain silent or grieve in isolation, engage in action-oriented forms of grief expression, or lose themselves in distractions such as work or throwing themselves into a new relationship. Connect with your community hospice to help you bring your grief out, your way.

BEREAVEMENT TIP

Grieving is a form unique to the individual it gasps. Connecting with the services that are available to you, may help with the process. Hospices are here to help.

BEREAVEMENT TIP

A child’s stress level is often at its highest before bereavement because of fear and the unknown. Allow children a chance to think and talk about their feelings and share their worries. Many of our hospices specialized in children’s grief and bereavement.

BEREAVEMENT TIP

Connecting with nature and feeling lost in it, may help during your bereavement process. Hospices can help you navigate these feelings, allowing you to grieve well.