Also on the practical side, coronavirus and social distancing measures have brought about significant restrictions to funeral services which will affect bereaved relatives’ ability to mourn. But many funeral directors are doing everything they can to help.
There are online resources on how to organise funerals during the coronavirus crisis which are meaningful for both adults and children. Guidance on religious funerals in the context of COVID-19 is available from the official sites of the Church of England, the Catholic Church for England and Wales, the Muslim Council of Britain and the Jewish Joint Burial Society.
Ways to bring in others who are not there in person include live streaming or recording facilities and circulating the order of service, music and poems. People who are bereaved over the coming months might want to organise a simple service at this stage and arrange a memorial or celebration service later. It is important to bring people together to remember and celebrate the person who has died, even if that occasion has to be delayed.
Grief has been turned upside down during #COVID19 – we need to support bereaved relatives to avoid a host of mental health problems down the line. A piece I wrote for @ConversationUK is now online https://t.co/0gQBbggwT2 @capcbristol @BristolUni #pallicovid #comcomcovid
— Lucy Selman (@Lucy_Selman) April 17, 2020