MyGrief.ca

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Bereavement is a significant public health issue, often leading to co-morbidities and increased healthcare utilization.
• Grieving individuals face barriers to formal support, including temporal, financial, and geographic constraints.
• Existing in-person grief support services have limitations in accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce MyGrief.ca, an online, evidence-based, psycho-educational tool designed to support individuals experiencing bereavement.
• To provide a supplementary resource for those accessing in-person grief support.
• To serve as an educational tool for healthcare providers on bereavement care.

Main Methods:

• Development of MyGrief.ca by the Canadian Virtual Hospice in collaboration with pan-Canadian partners.
• Content creation involved families and international bereavement experts, emphasizing cultural diversity.
• The online platform features nine self-directed modules with video testimonials from diverse populations.

Main Results:

• MyGrief.ca is the world's first online psycho-educational tool for bereavement support.
• The tool addresses gaps in accessing specialized grief support.
• It offers a culturally sensitive and diverse range of grief narratives and educational content.

Conclusions:

• MyGrief.ca provides a novel, accessible solution for individuals and families navigating grief.
• The online resource supports those unable to access traditional grief services.
• It empowers healthcare providers with enhanced bereavement care knowledge and resources.