Viewing Volume 8 Issue 1 Spring 2005
Survey of UK hospice and specialist palliative care adult bereavement services.
Abridged abstract of paper cited in Journal of Palliative Nursing 2004.
Until recently UK health services have contributed little to bereavement support, with the exception of spiritual support from hospital chaplains at the time of death and, in a minority of cases, psychiatric treatment for those with complicated grief reactions (Payne,2004). In the community, bereavement support has largely been delivered through religious and other self help networks and by voluntary organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care. The modern hospice movement has recognised the continuing needs of the bereaved relatives and lay carers of their patients, the majority of whom are in the middle and later years of life, and most hospices regard the provision of such support as an integral part of their services (Payne et al,1999).
Most bereavement services are based on the assumption that loss through death challenges coping abilities and that supportive interventions may facilitate post death adaptation, reduce complicated grief reactions and promote well being.
In the UK, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended that a three tier model of bereavement support be implemented for all families and carers of cancer patients in which all health care providers should provide information about local services to bereaved people ( level 1). Those in need of more comprehensive support should be offered support from professional and/or volunteers ( level 2) and a minority of people at high risk of complicated bereavement reactions should be referred to specialist services ( level 3) (NICE 2004).
Bereavement services have received little research attention and there is lack of evidence to underpin practice developments. Bereavement support in hospices in the UK appear to be largely at NICE levels 1 and 2 and may include activities such as befriending, counselling, information packs and memorial services and support groups (Kissane, 2004). Support may be delivered in person or by telephone by either or both paid staff and volunteers (Payne, 2001). Two UK studies have indicated the efficacy of using trained volunteers in support bereaved people (Parkes, 1981; Relf, 2000). The diversity of service models and methods of delivery suggest little consensus about optimal service configurations.
The survey has identified a number of issues that should be addressed at a national level. Although the main elements of adult bereavement support can be identified, the way these are combined and delivered varies between organisations. The assessment of bereaved people for individual support also varies. The small size of many services may inhibit the effective delivery of bereavement support. Finally, procedures to audit and evaluate the effectiveness of bereavement support may need to be developed. The establishment in 2005 of a bereavement support programme by Help the Hospices may provide the forum for this discussion.
By:David Field, David Ried, Sheila Payne, Marilyn Rolf
‘Understanding Children’s Experiences of Parental Bereavement’
This book gives an insight into the world of children who have experienced the death of a parent. It is based on the findings of Iceberg, a doctoral project carried out at The University of York, in which adults who had been bereaved of a parent when of school age or under agreed to share their experiences. I wrote the book after a decade of research within the area of loss and bereavement in schools, initially as an infant class teacher, later as a peripatetic special needs teacher, and subsequently as an educational psychologist, all within the Humberside area. My concern was that children’s experience of bereavement could be fundamentally quite different from the adult experience. The death of a parent may have far reaching implications for children, even into adulthood.
The voices of bereaved children are not always heard and youngsters may be disempowered, for example by being forbidden to attend their parents funeral. Iceberg investigated the role of the adult world in helping or hindering these children, and sought their views on how things could have been improved. Many of the volunteers taking part in Iceberg felt that the adult world was of little help to them at the time of their parents’ deaths, and that they had been let down by the adult world. They often felt powerless after the death of a parent and lacked the means to gain information, frequently feeling that they faced a wall of silence.
The book will be of interest and use to any professionals who come in contact with bereaved children, particularly in the context of schools.
By:John Holland 2001.
ISBN 1-84310-016-9
EVENTS
‘Counselling, psychotherapy, ethics and the law‘.
A workshop led by Peter Jenkins.
Friday 27th May 2005
Friday 23rd September 2005
To book a place, contact:
Workshops, 111 Green Pastures, Heaton Mersey, Stockport. SK43RB
Tel: 0161 613 5434
By:
Bereavement Services Association Inaugural Conference.
You are invited to attend the inaugural conference @ The Medical Institute, Hartshill, Stoke on Trent on May 19th between 10.00 – 15.30. This event is supported by The Department of Health and so is free to participants.
To book, e-mail
Tony.Brookes@uhns.nhs.uk
By:
BOOK REVIEW
‘Discussing death in the classroom’.
In this study the beliefs and attitudes of teachers and education students about providing death education and death related interventions are explored. Although many children will experience death of a close relative before they are 18, the authors found a lack of understanding of childhood bereavement and of knowledge and skills about necessary intervention. They believe that schools must be involved in death education in the broadest sense of the word; but that only when the complexity of childhood bereavement is appreciated will the clarification of opportunities to provide help proceed.
By:Mahon,M.M. Goldberg, R.L. Washington, S.K. 1999; 39(2): 99-121
DIARY DATES
AGM Tuesday 17th May 2005
Tuesday 30th August 2005
Tuesday 22nd November 2005
By:
6.30 pm for 7 pm
At the Droylsden Office.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Thursday 8th September 2005
‘Family Grief’
At
Hough End Centre,
Mauldeth Road West
Chorlton – cum – Hardy
Manchester
Speakers for the day include:
Dr. Marilyn Relf
Gordon Riches
John Peters
Jayne Handford
Prof. Stephen Wright
Dr. James Kuykendal
The Conference will be Chaired by:
Brenda Mallon (Vice Chair MABF)
Conference Price:
MABF Member 2004 £150
Non members £195
New Members 2005 £175
All delegates after 31st July £225
For information and booking please contact:
The Grief Centre –MABF
Tel: 0161-371-8860
or
grief@mabf.org.uk
By:sfb