Death and Grief During a Pandemic

Kim – You can get through this

Kim talks about the difference between her Dad and her Mum’s death

Jessica M – A Parking Lot Memorial

Jessica shares how her family gathered after her uncle died during COVID and how her family came up with a creative way of getting together in a parking lot.

Nicole – Pandemic’s Effect on Safe Spaces and Mental Health Access

Nicole discusses how the pandemic affected access to safe spaces and shelters for those living rough and living with addiction.

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties

Weathering the Intense Emotions of Grief

Grief often comes with powerful, unpredictable emotional shifts that can be painful to experience. While it’s important to find ways to sit with these feelings, to acknowledge the pain of grief and accept loss, it’s also necessary to find ways to ease and manage the pain. There are several simple activities that you can explore to help.

Beauty found at the edges: a portrait of community support

I’d sent a text saying “Hello friends, I’m putting out a call for flowers. I went to public school with Kory, the young man who died in downtown Cobourg this week, and though I hadn’t seen him in recent years, I feel the loss of him on a community level, as I imagine you do, too. Some of Kory’s people are gathering tonight in vigil at the bank where he died, and I’m gathering flowers from those of us who have gardens to share with this grieving community. Do you have some blooms in your garden that you’d be willing to share?”

Kate – Triggers

Kate discusses how she deals with her emotions when something triggers her grief

Kara – Uncertainty

Kara discusses how Covid-19 has created uncertainty and impacted grieving.The pandemic changed the way Kara continued to grieve the loss of her partner.

Kara – Starting a grief journey again

Kara explains how Covid-19 has made her have to relearn tools to help in her grief. The pandemic changed the way Kara continued to grieve the loss of her partner.

Collective Grief

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.

Maureen – Palliative during the pandemic

Maureen lost her father in law during the pandemic

Kim – Support at the hospital

Kim discusses how tough COVID made the hospital experience and the support she received