Death and Grief During a Pandemic

Maureen – “Not being able to be with your loved one”

Maureen discusses ideas of how you can honour a loved now until it is safe to come together.

Zoreena – Tribute

Zoreena talks about tributes, family, pulling together and not being able to have a funeral

Joyce -The pandemics impact on drug poisonings

Joyce talks about drug poisonings during the pandemic

Beauty found at the edges: a portrait of community support

I’d sent a text saying “Hello friends, I’m putting out a call for flowers. I went to public school with Kory, the young man who died in downtown Cobourg this week, and though I hadn’t seen him in recent years, I feel the loss of him on a community level, as I imagine you do, too. Some of Kory’s people are gathering tonight in vigil at the bank where he died, and I’m gathering flowers from those of us who have gardens to share with this grieving community. Do you have some blooms in your garden that you’d be willing to share?”

Collective Grief

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.

Jane – Struggling to process layers of grief

Jane talks about her experience navigating multiple losses in a short time and the impact the pandemic has had on that by adding even more multi-facitated layers of grief

Karyn and Aidan – Hospital and the COVID restrictions

Karyn and Aidan talk about the challenges of the restrictions and the impact of COVID patients on John’s care

Nicole – Stigma Surrounding Drug Use

Nicole discusses how the stigma around drug use has an impact on how people feel able to grieve when those in their community are lost.

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties

Nicole – Advice for Other Professionals Managing Grief

Nicole discusses dealing with repeated loss while working in community outreach, not being afraid to be human.

Jane – Grief and yoga

Jane shares about the impact yoga, and moving her body in general, on her mental health while she processes grief.

Zoreena – COVID and isolation

Zoreena discusses COVID isolation and the loss of time to spend with her Dad and her cousing