3.11 Survey Participant Reflections e above quantitative results were supported and reiterated in the qualitative responses. e following three themes emerged in relation to funerals and mourning rituals:
Altered Funeral Structures and Guidance Lost Opportunities to Grieve Difficulty Supporting Others
3.11.1 Altered Funeral Structures and Guidance
Many participants mentioned difficult experiences due to the guidance that were placed on funerals. e capped attendance numbers, social distancing, and overall new arrangements of funerals made the bereavement experience even more difficult for family members, leaving them in a state of shock:
“She was lifted by the funeral director and buried two hours later. We left clothes but it is my belief that they did not dress her. ey didn’t tell us, and we didn’t ask. I believe that she was placed in a bag, and it was put into a coffin...”
One participant reported the difficulty in choosing who could attend funerals and indicated how the funeral did not meet their expectations:
“It was like a lottery trying to decide who would and wouldn’t attend. We were able to have time with our loved one in a funeral home; however only a very limited family were able to come and say goodbye. I found this very difficult as it is certainly not the type of funeral we would have intended.”
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