Death and Grief During a Pandemic

Jane – Struggling to process layers of grief

Jane talks about her experience navigating multiple losses in a short time and the impact the pandemic has had on that by adding even more multi-facitated layers of grief

Laura- Processing Grief

Zoreena – My Story

Zoreena talks about COVID and the loss of her father and a cousin

Maureen – “Permission to mourn”

Maureen explains about grief being valid and how important it is to look after yourself.

Nicole – Working in Community Outreach

Nicole discusses her work in community outreach and how she has lived experience with addiction and living rough.

Michele – Covid and support

Michele defines expressive arts and how they can help healing in griefMIchele talks about COVID restrictions, technology and ways to support

When Death Feels like a Thief

In the heart of my grief, at my frailest, all I could see was what was no more. I grieved all that was stolen from me by death; love, security and even my very self. Had I known the value of having every pocket of who I was, picked bare by grief, I would not have fought so hard to hold onto it all.

Karyn and Aidan – Support.

Karyn and Aidan discuss how much the support they received helped

Maureen – Hospital restrictions during a pandemic

Maureen discusses hospital restrictions while her father-in-law was palliative during the pandemic

Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Other Special Days

When we are grieving, some days are more difficult than others. Grief comes in waves like the sea and can feel like an intertwining labyrinth of emotions. Birthdays, anniversaries, and special dates that are associated with our loved one who has died can contribute to more emotionally intense days which can be worsened through the anticipation and “what ifs” of the upcoming day. These difficult days can leave us feeling defeated and it can almost feel like we’ve taken two steps backward in our grieving process, but grief does not have a timeline, and these feelings of setbacks are opportunities for healing.

Maureen – End stages during a pandemic

Maureen talks about the end stages of her father-in-law during the pandemic.