COPING WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE

Grief is a universal emotion, but no two people experience it the same way. Some actions you can take to help you cope with grief while practising social distancing and honouring your loved one include:

• Invite people to call you, or host conference calls with family members and friends to stay connected.

• Ask family and friends to share stories and pictures with you via phone, video chat, email, text message, photo-sharing apps, social media, or mailed letters.

• Create a virtual memory book, blog, or webpage to remember your loved one, and ask family and friends to contribute their memories and stories.

• Coordinate a date and time for family and friends to honour your loved one by reciting a selected poem, spiritual reading, or prayer from within their own households. Hosting virtual events now and in-person events later may be in keeping with these practices.

• Seek spiritual support from faithbased organisations, including religious leaders and congregations, if applicable.

• Use grief-counselling services, support groups, or hotlines, especially those that can be offered over the phone or online, or seek support from a mental healthcare provider.

• Read books about grief and loss. If you have children, read age-appropriate books with them, and talk with them about how they are feeling.

Take part in an activity that has significance to you and the loved one you have lost, such as planting flowers or a tree or preparing a favourite meal, in memory of your loved one.

Review additional information from the CDC on loss and grief and ways to cope with stress and anxiety.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the family and close friends of a person who died of COVID-19 may experience stigma such as people avoiding them or rejecting them. Stigma hurts everyone by creating fear or anger. You can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with extended family, friends, and others in your community.