"Unaddressed grief can be a silent burden."
- Christine Husbands - RedArc
RedArc reports that bereavement is the fourth most common reason for referrals to its support services, and has consistently been so over the past 10 years.
This comes at the beginning of National Grief Awareness Week, which aims to shine a light on the impact of grief, raising awareness of the varied effects it can have on people.
Further data from RedArc reveals that it takes significantly different amounts of time for individuals to adjust or cope following a bereavement. On average, RedArc nurses provide support for approximately four months, but in around eight per cent of cases, this support extends beyond one year.
These referrals are not normally made immediately after the loss, but instead in the months following the bereavement, when individuals realise that their recovery has not progressed as much as they had hoped.
Commenting on the data, Christine Husbands, commercial consultant at RedArc, said: "It’s remarkable that almost everyone will experience the loss of someone close at some point in their lives, yet despite this shared reality, so many still feel they don’t have the right support or the right people to talk to. We can - and must - do better."
"Unaddressed grief can be a silent burden, with the potential to cause serious physical or emotional consequences later in life. It’s important to recognise that there is no right or wrong way to grieve - but there is a right way to provide support, and that’s by ensuring it is both comprehensive and highly individualised."
