How to engage loved ones in the death process to minimise regret and complicated grief

Introduction: The death of a child or adult is a devastating event for all involved: family, friends and professionals. Research exploring acute or anticipated death offers little guidance into the practicalities of how to engage the family and assist them in their grief and bereavement.

Objective: Demonstrate and guide professionals on how to engage loved ones in counselling, honouring the body, memory making and bereavement before, during and postdeath. Professionals will have the opportunity to explore the practical tasks of dying and death, emot1ons and interventions.

Approach: This very hands-on and practical session will demonstrate techniques of memory making, and keeping loved ones engaged and involved during the death process and postdeath. It will be a combination of theory, art and science. Practice Implications: Build confidence and skill  in the active role professionals can have in the death of a loved one, minimise the effect of complicated grief and examine self-care.

Conclusion: The death of a loved one is painful and sad; however, engaging family and friends in an active role, keeping them with their loved one and respecting their relationship and building positive memories of the death, can have powerful implications for healthy bereavement and minimise regret.

9238 How to engage loved ones (2.83MB pdf)