The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
“We will remember them”: A mixed-method study to explore which post-funeral remembrance activities are most significant and important to bereaved people living with loss, and why those particular activities are chosen
Authors:
Vale-Taylor, Pamela
Source:
Palliative Medicine: 2009, 23, pp. 537-544.
Summary
This article describes a study that examined the attitudes towards post-funeral remembrance activities and rituals of 43 adults who had experienced the death of a family member in hospice care. Most participants indicated that rituals helped them maintain a bond with the deceased, provided them with emotional comfort, and contributed to a feeling of being part of a community. People participated in both formal, organized rituals and informal rituals that were personal to the individual and varied from day to day.
Key Words: hospice, ritual, bond
Service Provider Implications
Service providers may benefit from understanding that different individuals find different meanings in rituals and remembrances. While the choice of engaging in particular remembrances or rituals is very personal, many bereaved indicate that maintaining a continuing bond with the deceased is the principal benefit of the activities.
