There are differences in the ways in which people grieve. There are also differences in the circumstances surrounding grief. Sometimes information tailored to specific situations may be helpful.

Resources

• The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has a page that provides information on commonly asked questions about grief.
• Palliative Care Australia has produced a helpful booklet called Now what? Understanding grief
• The Grieflink Website has information for specific groups including:
  • Grief in Indigenous peoples
  • Grief in different cultures
  • Grief reactions associated with HIV/AIDS related death
  • Grief reactions associated with the death of a gay partner
  • Unrecognised or hidden grief
  • Grief reactions associated with a death in the workplace.
• The Gippsland region Palliative Care Consortium has ten grief and bereavement leaflets that can be read or downloaded.
• Some groups describe the phases of grief that many people go through and strategies that can help manage grief and grieving. HelpGuide and Tobin Brothers have useful resources in this area.
• Sometimes it can help to hear from other people who have grieved a loss. The Irish Hospice Foundation has leaflets on grief and loss and some that have been written by volunteers who tell their own stories.
• The PCA Living Caring Working website has a leaflet giving ideas on how to help you through your grief. They also have information on understanding someone who is grieving.
• Palliative Care Victoria has information on how to help someone who is grieving.
• St Georges University of London has information on Managing grief better: people with intellectual disabilities.
• The Scope Victoria website has information on supporting people with disabilities to cope with grief and loss. The booklet is in two parts. The first section is in an easy to read format for people with a disability. The second part has information for those who care for a person with a disability.

Helpful books

There are many helpful books that have been written on grief and loss. People frequently offer books that they have found helped them. It can be a surprise to discover that amongst them is one that is just right. Taking the time to find material and to read it, repays the effort. A good writer may help to understand the different emotional responses.

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has information on books and on other resources.

This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011
Last updated 13 January 2010*