When somebody dies there are a lot of practical considerations that often take precedence over the grieiving process. This can be helpful to remain focused and deal with any practical arrangements from the funeral to dealing with Will and Probate.
When a partner dies it is a shattering experience. We may feel that we have lost a part of ourselves and in some cases, after many years of marriage or partnership, the whole identity that we have constructed for our self based on that other person.
Moving forward does not mean forgetting your loved one, but finding a place for your memories so that they do not dominate your thoughts and actions. It may take many years before you feel able to move forward with some aspects of your life, for example doing the kind of social activities you did together as a couple or forming new relationships. However, you should move forward with your life as soon as possible as the sooner you adjust the easier it will be and you owe it to yourself to be happy.
If you are grieving yourself it is important that you seek counselling or deal with your grief for your partner separately from your children. See our page on Grieving for further advice.
The following links directory covers everything from practical advice to mental health support and more. If you would like to suggest a link, please contact us.
When someone dies there are practical arrangements to be made. For many people this can provide a useful focus and help them to cope in the initial weeks, whilst for others it can seem overwhelming. The following is a simple guide to registering a death and arranging a funeral in the UK.
Prior to the funeral the funeral director will take care of any arrangements to move the body from the hospital or final resting place to a Chapel of Rest, unless you have other specific requirements, e.g. to have the body at home for religious purposes. The funeral director will ask you to select items of clothing you would like your loved one laid to rest in and they will then arrange the body for viewing at the Chapel or Rest should any of the family wish to visit.
When a person dies the nearest relative to the deceased should find out if there is a will. If there is no will click here.
You may have relied on your partner to sort out the finances in the past or be used to budgeting for another person. In either case the sooner you adjust and sort out your financial situation, the least likely you are to run into problems. The following steps will help:
Age Concern Bereavement Advice
Information and support services for the bereaved including advice on arranging a funeral, grieving, living alone and local support services (pdf download)
Cruse Bereavement Care
Charity dedicated to supporting you through bereavement
NHS
NHS advice on coping with bereavement
MIND
Mental health charity with support for bereavement
See our Bereavement Links page for more links