Grief

More than anyone, those in funeral care understand how beneficial it is to pay tribute when a friend or family member dies. That’s why it’s important to have ideas on hand for families so they can begin the grieving process when normal rituals aren’t possible.

America's fallen heroes are taken into the care of Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, known as AFMAO, at Dover Air Force Base.

A relatively new option for the dying and their family members, death doulas provide non-medical emotional support and assist in navigating the end-of-life process. They advocate for the wishes and final preferences of a dying person while serving as a calming presence for loved ones.

When my brother-in-law passed away two years ago, so many people wanted to help us, but we didn’t know where to start or what we needed. Our funeral director proved to be invaluable because he gave us ideas about what to ask for during the process.

The deathcare profession can learn some helpful lessons by looking at depictions of death in pop culture, understanding how collective expressions of grief can be helpful to the bereaved that we serve, and how the general public is exposed to our profession.

Certain games have even become a medium for players to engage with painful emotions, as some have plot points related to grief and loss that are incorporated throughout.

As deathcare professionals, our job is to help people experiencing personal loss understand what is happening and move through grief with intention and support. Our jobs are meaningful and important, but they can also come with large amounts of heaviness.

Without a funeral, what are the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost or will lose a loved one during the pandemic, regardless of cause of death, supposed to do?

With millennials becoming more involved in funeral planning and shaping the current trends for end-of-life care, there has been an influx of new services, along with a different approach to the idea of death.

By Leader Contributor Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. I often say that when words are inadequate, have a ceremony. However,...