Hospital memorial service bereavement support
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 24, 2025

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum
Published on: August 5, 2020
1Pastoral Care, Allied Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Background:
Pastoral care in an acute hospital setting necessarily includes some bereavement support for families of patients who die. Termed universal bereavement support, an important component of such support is provision of educational information to assist bereaved people struggling with grief. This project aimed to understand, from the perspective of those attending, the value of providing a memorial service for remembering a loved one and whether the education provided at the service successfully met the requirement of a universal bereavement support strategy.
Methods:
A qualitative study, comprising a semistructured telephone interview with memorial service attendees was undertaken. Data were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.
Results:
Twenty-nine attendees participated. Three themes provided insights into attendees' perceptions. The first theme encapsulated the value of remembering and celebrating the life of the deceased; the second theme focused on 'finding our way through the grief process' including the value of the educational materials ; and the third theme identified appreciation for the hospital in providing care to those bereaved.
Conclusion:
The memorial service provides a valued universal bereavement support strategy and such support strategies are an important part in the process of grieving for many attendees.
Related Concept Videos
Bonanno's Theory of Grieving
Resilience
Continuing Care
Discharge Summary Forms
Here's a detailed look at the key components and guidelines for preparing a discharge summary:
Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from...
Healthcare Agencies I
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...

