Grief is a normal and deeply human response to loss. But even though everyone experiences grief, it is often misunderstood or left unspoken. For personal support workers (PSWs), nurses, and other care providers, grief is something you see every day. You support people who are grieving, and sometimes you grieve too.
As we mark National Grief and Bereavement Day, we take time to think about how we can better support individuals and families. This blog shares simple ways to help people cope with loss and explains why grief literacy matters. It also highlights how compassionate community care and access to grief and palliative care resources can make a big difference.
Loss is Universal – Grief Deserves Support
People grieve for many reasons. It may be the death of someone they love, or the loss of health, independence, identity, or routine. Grief is not a sign of weakness. It is a natural way the body, mind, and heart respond to change. Supporting people through grief is a core part of compassionate care. Understanding the basic truths about loss and grief helps to offer better support and deeper compassion:
- Everyone experiences loss. It is a part of life.
- Grief is natural and healthy. It helps people adjust to change.
- Grief looks different for everyone. There is no “right way” to grieve.
- People may use denial at times. It can help protect them from feeling overwhelmed.
- Hope matters. Hope can be big or small – such as wishing for a peaceful moment or a good day.
Today, grief experts remind us that people do not “get over” losses. Instead, they learn to carry them. This is known as continuing bonds, which means people stay connected to the person who died through memories, stories, traditions, or quiet moments of reflection. This is normal, healthy, and part of healing.
The Different Types of Grief
Anticipatory Grief
Families often begin grieving long before death, especially when someone has a serious illness. This early grief can be confusing and painful. Recognizing it allows care teams to validate feelings and offer support, not just medical care. Here, palliative care resources play a vital role, offering emotional support and practical guidance before death occurs.
Disenfranchised Grief
Some grief is not recognized by others. This may include the grief of:
- A PSW who cared for a resident for many years
- A person grieving someone from whom they were estranged
- Losses that society sees as “less important”
Everyone’s grief deserves respect and support, and compassionate community care helps ensure these experiences are acknowledged.
Coping with Grief: Strategies That Support Healing
There is no single path through grief. People may cry, feel angry, feel nothing at all, or move between many emotions. The Dual Process Model teaches us that people naturally move back and forth between:
- Feeling and expressing their grief
- Taking breaks from grief to focus on daily life
Both are normal. Here are gentle ways to support healing:
- Journaling, drawing, or creative expression
- Mindfulness and grounding exercises
- Memory-making, such as planting a tree or making a photo book
- Peer-led support groups, in person or online
- Simply listening without trying to fix anything
Care providers help most by offering choices, being present, and respecting the person’s own way of grieving. Linking families to grief and palliative care resources and surrounding them with compassionate community care strengthens these supports.
The Role of Healthcare Providers in Supporting Bereaved Families
Grief does not end at the moment of death. Families often need support in the days, weeks, and months afterward.
Care providers can help by:
- Making a gentle condolence call
- Remembering and naming the person who died
- Sharing information about bereavement supports
- Acknowledging a memorial or cultural practice
Small acts of kindness can help families feel seen and less alone.
Why Grief Literacy Training Matters
Grief literacy means understanding what grief is, what it looks like, and how to support someone who is grieving.
Research and national reports, including the Canadian Grief Alliance, show that many people in Canada do not feel prepared to support others in grief. Grief literacy helps PSWs and care providers to:
- Notice different grief reactions
- Offer support with empathy and cultural humility
- Avoid minimizing someone’s grief
- Create safe, caring spaces
- Maintain their own emotional well-being
Grief literacy is a core part of compassionate community care – where people support each other through loss, not just health professionals.
Resources for Bereavement and Community Support
There are many helpful supports for grieving individuals and families:
- Hospice bereavement programs
- Peer support groups (local, virtual, and online)
- Indigenous healing and cultural supports
- Canadian Virtual Hospice – virtualhospice.ca
- Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association – chpca.ca
- Community grief centres, including children’s grief organizations
Care teams can make a big difference by guiding families to these resources.
Final Thoughts: Grief as a Continuum of Care
Grief does not follow a timeline. People do not forget their losses; instead, they learn to carry them in new ways. This is part of continuing bonds and is supported by modern grief research.
As care providers, your role is not to fix grief. Your role is to:
- Honour it
- Witness it
- Support people with kindness and compassion
Together, we can create communities where grief is understood, supported, and met with care – not silence, and compassionate community care is the norm.
References:
Canadian Grief Alliance – The Case for National Grief Strategy
Klass, Silverman & Nickman – Continuing Bonds Theory
Stroebe & Schut – Dual Process Model
Public Health Palliative Care International – Compassionate Communities
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association – National Grief and Bereavement Day
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Life and Death Matters – PSW Textbook, pp. 164–173
Children – kidsgrief.ca
Indigenous – myculture.ca
General- griefmatters.ca
