One explanation is that they may have had a particularly close relationship to the deceased. Another could be the difficult circumstances in which their loved one died. If the person was in a healthcare setting or nursing home, families and staff would have been wearing PPE, contact would have been very limited, and the family member may only have been allowed access to the person in their final hours. e public health measures ensured that many lives were saved, and that the healthcare system could continue to function. e end-of-life and bereavement experiences reported by the respondents in this report should prompt policy makers and public health officials preparing for future emergencies to include alternative arrangements and provide resources to sustain and support the delivery of end-of-life care and family visiting arrangements. 4.4 Impact of COVID-19 on Bereavement Support One in three bereaved people felt they did not get the support they needed at the time of the death and following the death due to the COVID-19 restrictions. However, the survey also found that participants often did not seek formal support from a professional or support service, which is consistent with prior literature that highlights the fact that informal support is commonly used by the bereaved. e survey highlighted that Irish people sought ways to extend their support to those in their communities who were bereaved. is is aligned with the literature, which also found that bereaved individuals reported positive support from those around them during the pandemic despite restriction measures, including extending support via telecommunication, and moving in with a relative after a family loss. Despite communities finding new ways of providing support to bereaved individuals, the grieving process was incredibly challenging. A recently published Irish survey of the impact of COVID-19 on bereavement care services in Ireland highlighted that almost half of them reported an increase in demand and many reported more complex needs among service users.⁸
4.5 Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Workers
Consistent with the literature, this study showed that healthcare workers were greatly impacted by their experiences during the pandemic, evidently suggesting that support should be in place for them, as they cope in the aftermath. Yet, this survey showed that healthcare workers exhibited statistically significant higher mean scores of self-reported general health and mental health and higher financial wellbeing scores compared to non-healthcare workers. In addition, healthcare workers showed lower score indicators for PGD compared to non-healthcare workers. is suggests a resilience and protective component to PGD for healthcare workers.
8. Roberts, A., Keegan, O., Holme, I., & Keeting, M. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on bereavement care in Ireland: A national survey of bereavement care providers. Bereavement, 2. https://doi.org/10.54210/bj.2023.1112
42
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker