Grief and COVID-19

The Washington Post Magazine published a thoughtful article, “How to Grieve During a Pandemic” (12/07/20).

The article states:

Under normal circumstances, more than 10 percent of cases of bereavement will lead to prolonged grief disorder. In the coming year, though, as enough time passes for pandemic-related diagnoses of complicated grief to be made, “the rate of prolonged grief disorder is probably going to be about doubled, which is a huge number,” Shear says. Applying the sociologists’ covid-19 bereavement multiplier that every death will affect nine close relatives, those experiencing complicated grief could number in the hundreds of thousands.

Written by David Montgomery, this article is available on the Washington Post website.

It should be noted that many community hospice providers offer support to those who are grieving. Those struggling with loss may consider contacting a local hospice provider.  Additional information on grief is available on NHPCO’s CaringInfo.org.