Complex Grief and PTSD after Covid 19 Losses
Hospital rule prohibit relatives from saying their final goodbyes to relatives dying with coronavirus. Due to this lack of physical contact, complex grief processing is impeded and compounded. Delayed and complex grief has negative implications for physical and mental health, and greater strain and burdens on professional mental health care facilities.
Complex grief occurs when acute grief and emotional despair, experienced after a close relative dies, persists. This manifests itself in agony and/or denial and disbelief which can persist for months or even years. Addressing grief now can prevent grief related problems from compounding and becoming 'complex' later. The project comprises a drop-in support group (2 hrs per day, at Villa TrösT in Dordrecht) and an outreach programme targeting those who have had one or more of their relatives pass away due to the coronavirus.
Prof. dr. Anne Goossensen (a.goossensen@uvh.nl)
Early design
Netherlands