Bereavement in the Time of COVID-19: Learning from Experiences of those Bereaved as a Result of Deaths in an Acute Hospital Setting in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many people experiencing bereavement in challenging circumstances. In April 2020 at a large London Trust, a Bereavement Welfare Hub was established to offer support and advice by telephone to relatives and carers of all adults who died as inpatients. Data from BWH call records regarding 809 adults who died at the Trust in March, April and May 2020 were collated. A random selection of 149 call records were examined using thematic analysis. Six themes which influenced the bereavement experiences and grief status of call recipients were identified. These included family and community support, care up to the point of death, communication, care after death and death rituals and customs. Several factors positively and negatively influenced the experiences of people bereaved during the first wave of COVID-19. From these findings, recommendations have been made which have the potential to improve the bereavement experience, particularly during the pandemic era.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to bereavement in difficult circumstances. A Bereavement Welfare Hub was established to provide telephone support and advice to relatives and carers. Data analysis identified six themes that influenced the bereavement experiences and grief status of call recipients, including support, care, communication, and death rituals. The findings provide recommendations to improve the bereavement experience, particularly during the pandemic era.