Everyone Knows What Grief Is, Now – Part 5

What the Future Will Bring

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“We grow through grief,” says Snyder Cowan. “Some of us will be markedly different after this intense experience, seeing joy in simple things, being kind and more altruistic, and having a greater appetite for life and new possibilities. This will not happen for everyone, but in my experience, grief can be a catalyst for personal growth.”

Anewalt says many people she has talked to are asking existential questions: What really matters? What are our priorities? Why are some people dying while I am still here? “It is very important to pay attention to what we are feeling and to take time to reflect on these questions and our emotions,” Anewalt says. “The world is changing, and how will we change? I am hopeful that we will all become more mindful, more attuned to the world around us, as we continue through and emerge from this devastating crisis.”

“We know that this experience will test us,” says Balster. “We are coming face to face with the fact that life doesn’t last forever. It is finite. But I try to remember that I don’t have to ‘do tomorrow,’ today. I can ‘do today,’ today, and take each moment as it comes. I want to feel peaceful about what I’ve done, for myself and others, during this crisis.”

Resources for Hospices in Supporting Grief and Bereavement and Ensuring Self Care

Advanced Care Planning from the National Institute on Aging, Respecting Choices® and the National Funeral Directors Association

NIA: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planninghealthcare-
directives

Respecting Choices: https://respectingchoices.org/covid-19-
resources/

National Funeral Directors Association: https://nfda.org/consumerresources/
why-a-funeral/have-the-talk-of-a-lifetime

Decide to Be Heard: http://www.decidetobeheard.org

COVID Conversation Playbook from VitalTalk
https://www.vitaltalk.org/guides/covid-19-communication-skills/

Planning a Remote Funeral from CNET Health and Wellness
Note: Many funeral homes offer step-by-step guides on their
websites for setting up and managing a virtual memorial service.
Search Virtual or Streaming Funeral Services and your location.
https://www.cnet.com/health/how-to-plan-a-remote-funeral-ormemorial-
and-grieve-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

Developing and Managing Virtual Grief Support Groups from
the Hospice Foundation of America
https://hospicefoundation.org/Education/How-to-Develop-and-
Manage-Virtual-Grief-Support-Gr

Supporting Grieving Children
https://childrengrieve.org/about-us/news/208-covid-19

Mindfulness Moments for Self-Care from the Hospice of the Western Reserve
https://www.hospicewr.org/western-reserve-carelink/ages/Mindful-Moments-.aspx

General COVID-Related Information and Guides from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
https://www.nhpco.org/coronavirus

References

1 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1832198
2 Ibid
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7153515/pdf/main.pdf
4 Ibid
5 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-09330-011
6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7153515/pdf/main.pdf
7 Ibid
8 Ibid
9 https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning-healthcare-directives
10 https://nfda.org/consumer-resources/why-a-funeral/have-the-talk-of-a-lifetime
11 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7153515/pdf/main.pdf
12 https://respectingchoices.org/covid-19-resources/
13 Ibid
14 https://www.vitaltalk.org/guides/covid-19-communication-skills/
15 https://hospicefoundation.org/Education/How-to-Develop-and-Manage-
Virtual-Grief-Support-Gr
16 https://hospicefoundation.org/End-of-Life-Support-and-Resources/Grief-
Support/Journeys-with-Grief-Articles/Depression-and-Grief
17 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7153515/pdf/main.pdf
18 https://www.hospicewr.org/western-reserve-carelink/Pages/Mindful-Moments-.aspx

About National Hospice Cooperative

Our mission is to provide world-class, business support services, maximizing financial and process efficiencies to empower community-based, not-for-profit hospice providers to focus their resources on the delivery of quality care.

Contributors

Sharon Schreiber
CEO BrandWeavers for Health

Karen M. Wyatt MD
Physician and author of What Really Matters

Jeff Lycan
President of the National Hospice Cooperative

Donna L. Arbogast
President and Principle
Donna Arbogast & Associates LLC