Funeral Guide 2020

TALKING ABOUT DEATH

IT is not always easy to talk about death and the loss of a loved one. Here are a selection of books which offer advice

need to respond appropriately. This book addresses some challenging questions such as: What to say and what not to say? How to balance the needs of the person and the job? How do you get it right in a diverse, multi-cultural workforce? How do you decide what time off is reasonable? How can other people at work help, as well as avoiding making the situation worse? It covers issues such as what do in the event of a sudden death at work, managing staff who are terminally ill, and practical help after death including funerals. It is a unique and constant point of reference for anyone concerned with one of the most challenging issues to be faced in the workplace. The Shape of Bereavement by Roger Grainger An insight into the process of grief and mourning by drawing on interviews with people who have experienced bereavement. The book focuses on experience and the importance of a caring relationship in enabling a bereaved individual to move forward on their journey from trauma to recovery and renewal. Case studies based on real events and situations are used alongside psychological perspectives to show how people talk about themselves when they are actively encouraged, and consciously enabled, to share their grief. Topics include: the impact of loss on our emotions disorientation through loss the impulse to deny loss knowing yet not knowing rites of passage working through it together.

The D-Word: Talking About Dying: A Guide for Relatives, Friends and Carers by Sue Brayne The D-Word is a practical guide to support relatives, friends and carers who are coping with the distress and anxiety of someone nearing the end of life, or who has suddenly died. Today, life-extending treatments have over-ridden care for the soul. Death is regarded as a medical failure, and usually hidden away in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and mortuaries. We have lost the ability to talk openly about the end of life. It’s frightening to know how to talk to a relative or friend who is dying, or to someone who has been suddenly bereaved but unless we confront this fear, important things can remain unsaid or incomplete, which often turns into unresolved grief, guilt and anger. Personal stories explore the different ways people have come to terms with the dying process or the sudden death of their spouse, partner, parent, friend or child, how they have confronted their fear of talking about it, and ways in which they found support during this very difficult time.

Working with Bereaved Children andYoung People by Brenda Mallon Insight into working practices with children and young people who are experiencing the death of a family member, friend, school peer or in their social network. The book’s practical skills focus is informed by research findings on children and young people’s experience of grief. Includes a comprehensive review of theoretical approaches to bereavement; the impact of different types of grief on children; working with children who have been bereaved in traumatic circumstances, such as through criminal behaviour; skills development. Trainees in counselling, psychotherapy and social work, as well as teachers and mental health workers, will find this an invaluable resource for working with this vulnerable client group. by David Charles-Edwards An estimated 3,500 people die every day in the UK. If someone at work or their partner or close family member dies, managers and colleagues Handling Death and Bereavement at Work

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