November 21 is Bereavement Day in Canada

OTTAWA, Nov. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - November 21, 2017 will mark the first annual National Bereavement Day in Canada. On this day, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) invites all Canadians to reflect on the importance of relationships past and present, to think about those who have passed away from our lives, and to help advocate for supports at the provincial and national levels for grieving Canadians.

"It's time to talk about grief and bereavement in Canada"

"More than 260,000 Canadians die each year, and for every 1 person who has died there are, on average, 5 or more loved ones who live on," says Sharon Baxter, Executive Director of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). "We all experience and handle bereavement and grief differently, and this reality has created the need to clarify what resources are available to Canadians dealing with an end-of-life care event. This includes, ensuring information and resources on hospice palliative care and advance care planning are accessible to all Canadians; that they are provided to them in a timely manner and in the setting of their choice, and that they meet their care needs. It's time to talk about grief and bereavement in Canada".

Why is this important?

As a society, we are so focused on prolonging life and curing illness that very little thought is given to what happens to us during our end of life journey and to those we leave behind. Improving the end of life care process also means allowing caregivers and family members who have lost a loved one the time to grieve, to remember, and to heal.

Toward this effort, the CHPCA is the leading national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada. CHPCA believes that it is important for Canadians to understand that bereavement support is for those who are grieving before, during, and after the course of a loved one's end-of-life journey. CHPCA encourages Canadians to start early with advance care planning; that is, reflecting on and discussing their end-of-life wishes with the people closest to them.  Moreover, caregivers, families, and friends need more help to prepare to say goodbye and to live well while grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Bereavement support is an essential element of all end-of-life care. On this first annual Bereavement Day in Canada, CHPCA encourages Canadians to engage all levels of government and all sectors of Canadian society in a national dialogue, in order to identify and address the necessary resources for those living with grief and bereavement.

It's time to talk about grief and bereavement in Canada.                        

SOURCE Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association