The revised Mourning guideline has been published. IKNL is involved in this as process supervisor of the palliative care guidelines. In recent years, our knowledge of grief has increased. The existing guidelines on grief either focus on complex grief or they are not evidence-based (not substantiated by systematic literature review). That is why the Bereavement guideline from 2010 has been revised. The revised guideline was drawn up on the basis of an analysis of bottlenecks experienced by healthcare professionals in practice. Input from patients and relatives is also included. A multidisciplinary working group has based this guideline on the most recent scientific insights and developed it in accordance with the scientific methodology, with as much consensus as possible. The directive thus offers an answer to challenges in practice.
With approximately 152,000 people dying in the Netherlands every year, many people, including patients, relatives and care providers, have to deal with grief. Of the people who die, this is expected in advance in about 70%: it takes place after a disease trajectory, such as cancer, heart failure or dementia. [PZNL 2019]. The revised guideline addresses the need for caregivers in different care settings to deal with grief themselves and to support people in their grief.
Every grieving process is unique
The guideline has been updated on a number of points on the basis of the most common bottlenecks from practice and advice from a sounding board group of experts. It is good that healthcare professionals realize that every grieving process is unique and that grief can also occur among healthcare providers themselves. Grieving is not pleasant, but it is normal. There is also no ‘correct’ way of grieving. It can be a relief to talk about this. Information about grief can also be found online that can be helpful. It is good to inform people about this. Be open to cultural and other types of diversity and ask about what people need. Concrete suggestions can be found in the guideline.
Before and after death – tips for caregivers
Grieving can also take place prior to death. Consider planning a conversation before the death and a low-threshold contact with surviving relatives three months after the death. If you suspect the development of complex grief, also schedule a meeting a few months after the death. In the case of multidisciplinary supervision, coordinate who maintains contact with the next of kin.
More information
The new guideline can be found on Rouw – Guidelines for Palliative Care (palliaweb.nl). A summary of the guideline can be found in the PalliArts app, which can be downloaded for free for Android and iOS, just like in the IKNL webshop. More information about grief and supportive resources can be found on the theme page on grief on Palliaweb. Patient information on this subject can be found on the website About Palliative Care: