Caring for Bereaved Family Members During the COVID 19 Pandemic: Before and After the Death of a Patient
Abstract Bereavement care is considered an integral component of quality end of life care endorsed by the palliative care movement. However, few hospitals and health care institutions offer universal bereavement care to all families of patients who die. The current COVID 19 pandemic has highlighted this gap and created a sense of urgency, from a public health perspective, for institutions to provide support to bereaved family members. In this article, drawing upon the palliative care and bereavement literature, we offer suggestions about how to incorporate palliative care tools and psychological strategies into bereavement care for families during this pandemic.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management