Background

Palliative care has a key role long before a funeral director is engaged. If these workers informed families of what early options look like then they can greatly shape the experiences of early bereavement to more helpful and informed processes which are not always offered in funeral services. 

Aim

For palliative care team to understand options such as home body care, community activation and cool plates to share with families. This leads to families making informed decisions and self advocation when engaging funeral services and potentially healthier bereavements.

Methods

Many people will need some time to consider the idea of spending time with or caring for the body. The gift in knowing these options earlier is it allows people enough time to process the concept and decide if it is right for them or not. 

Palliative care workers to know and inform families of home body care or cool plates as an option and where to source them. This could potentially save some families the impact of having the body of their person removed from the home before they are ready to part with them, or empower them to decide that actually, they are ready for the body to leave.

Community activation is another simple yet powerful early tool that can lead to stronger ongoing support and positive outcomes.

Data

We surveyed bereaved people who engaged our services and 86 people (59% of survey participants) spent time with the person after their death (for example viewing, vigil, washing or dressing). Significantly 78% were participating in after death rituals for the first time. 92% reported these rituals as "extremely important" for their grief.

Outcome

Pathways to healthier bereavement are paved to support the reduction in delayed grieving by allowing time, community activation, informed decision making and access to the body.