e findings supported an association between the closeness of a relationship to the deceased and the bereaved persons PGD score. A statistically significant association was noted between the loss of a parent, spouse, or child, and indications of PGD. is aligns with the literature review that closeness of the relationship to the deceased affects the severity of grief experienced by a bereaved individual. Higher PGD scores were also associated with those who self-reported that they did not get the support they needed because of COVID 19 restrictions. 4.3 Impact of COVID-19 on the Delivery of Healthcare e measures that were put in place during COVID-19 ensured that the spread of a highly transmissible disease was curtailed. In turn, this meant that many lives were saved, and significant mortality among the vulnerable was prevented, as well as helping to reduce the burden on the healthcare system. However, the visiting measures in place across the country caused a major disruption to the normal functioning of healthcare settings and nursing homes during the pandemic. Findings from the study emphasise the struggle of bereaved participants, many of whom did not have the opportunity to be present at their loved one’s bedside as they approached end-of-life. Results showed that participants who felt the pandemic experience prevented their loved one from having the death they would have wished for had significantly higher rates of sub-threshold PGD (32.3%) than those who did not. ese findings highlight the impact that the end-of-life care experience can have on the bereaved and their likelihood of experiencing PGD. Findings highlighted the impact of the emotional burden faced by healthcare workers, particularly when they were the only communication channel between the dying patient and their family. Participants discussed how these experiences gave rise to feelings of guilt, remorse, and moral suffering, which was also captured in the literature review. Both quantitative and qualitative survey findings revealed relatively poor experiences in the delivery of end-of-life care. e results suggest that even though bereaved individuals thought the level of care was appropriate, they felt their loved ones did not have the death they would have wanted. is was reiterated by healthcare workers who highlighted the distress of situations where patients died alone. However, the results of this survey found that there were significantly lower rates of PGD for participants who were not with their loved ones when they died (10.8%) compared with those who were with their loved ones (25.8%). is is an interesting finding given the literature points to the importance in the grieving process of being with a loved one as they die. ese participants would have had the opportunity to be at their loved one’s side when they died and yet, they had a higher indication of PGD.
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