Mother’s experience of the support from a bereavement follow‐up intervention after the death of a child

Abstract

Aims and objectives. To describe the mothers' experience of the support they received in a bereavement follow-up intervention after the death of a child and their experiences of the intervention programme. The intervention included three complementary components: (1) a support package, (2) peer supporters' contact with mothers and (3) health professionals' contact with mothers. Background. Although several types of intervention have been targeted at grieving parents or mothers, there exists a lack of knowledge of what kind of intervention is supportive and enhances the coping of parents after the death of a child.Design. An intervention was implemented in two university-level hospitals in Southern Finland. The study participants were grieving mothers (n = 86) whose child had died at the age of three or younger. The data were collected by using a structured questionnaire within six months of the death of a child. Methods. The data were analysed with descriptive statistical methods. Results. The mothers felt that the support they received helped them in coping with the situation. Among the different forms of received support, the mothers felt they received the most emotional support from peer supporters and health professionals. The mothers considered the support intervention to be useful. Conclusion. The collaborative support intervention between health professionals and peer supporters enabled versatile, immediate and long-term support that helped the mothers cope after the death of a child. Relevance to clinical practice. Health professionals should collaborate systematically with the third sector to provide support for mothers after the death of their child. In addition to the support given in hospital, health professionals should arrange more contacts and meetings with bereaved mothers on a long-term basis, after the mothers have left the hospital.

Bereavement Follow‐Up After the Death of a Child as a Standard of Care in Pediatric Oncology

“…Without an existing standard of care, however, follow‐up attempts by a given medical team are inconsistent, and some families are never contacted. A variety of practices are used when there is follow‐up, including making phone calls; sending cards; attending funerals; providing information and resources; connecting parents with other bereaved parents; acknowledging birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries; visiting the family; holding family meetings; and organizing memorial services . Qualitative studies have found that phone calls and family meetings after the child's death are beneficial, helping parents feel like their child is remembered, facilitating meaning‐making, responding to unanswered questions about their child's care, reassuring them they did everything they could, and providing a sense of closure .…”

Vanhempien parisuhteeseensa toivoma tuki lapsen kuoleman jälkeen

“…(9-14.) Tuen merkitys lapsen kuoleman jälkeisessä tilanteessa on tunnistettu, ja tutkimusta erilaisista tukimuo doista ja niiden vaikuttavuudesta on tehty (13,(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). Myös parisuhdenäkökulma on ollut kes kiössä joissakin tutkimuksissa (3,(6)(7)(8)(20)(21)(22), mutta parisuhteeseen toivottua tukea lapsen kuoleman jälkeisessä elämäntilanteessa ei ole tutkittu, vaikka tiedetään lapsen kuoleman ole van kriisi parisuhteelle (3,6,7).…”

“…Joidenkin näkemysten mukaan kyse ei ole sosiaalisesta tues ta, jos tuen antajana on ammattilainen, yh teisö tai esimerkiksi järjestö (30,32). Toisaalta monissa tutkimuksissa myös ammattilaiset näh dään sosiaalisen tuen antajina (12, 16,35,36), esimerkiksi täydentämässä läheisten antamaa riittämätöntä tukea (34,35). Keskustelua käy dään myös siitä, onko olemassa ammattimainen sosiaalisen tuen muoto (32,34).…”

“…Yleensä tuella nähdään olevan posi tiivinen vaikutus terveyteen (30,33,34). Esimer kiksi surututkimuksissa on voitu havaita, että tuen saamisella on vaikutusta surun kokemiseen (13,38) ja surusta selviytymiseen (14,16,39).…”

Caring for the bereaved parent: Guidelines for practice

“…Parents report desiring to maintain a relationship with their child's healthcare providers (Nikkola, Kaunonen, & Aho, ; Reilly, Hews, Hastings, & Vaughan, ; Welch et al., ; Woodgate, ). Such actions validate their grief and affirm the parent's sorrow while demonstrating remembrance and honor of the child, all of which are hugely important to the parents.…”