Literature Review

Facebook and perinatal loss: Facebook groups use among parents from the U.S., France and ItalyOmega-Journal of Death and Dying; by Livia Sani, Meryem Labouihi, Joanne Cacciatore, Marie-Frédérique Bacqué; 9/25This study explores how ... [Facebook] groups are used after perinatal loss and evaluates their psychological role for bereaved parents. We conducted a thematic analysis of posts from FB groups in the U.S. and France over one month; a third group from Italy was excluded due to insufficient activity. Four main categories emerged: emotional responses to loss, subsequently born children, mutual sharing of memories of their deceased children and practical information. Findings reveal similarities between the French and U.S. groups, particularly in how mothers express emotions, seek validation, and commemorate their children. The lack of active Italian groups may reflect cultural attitudes toward grief. 

New garden at Benefis Peace Hospice offers space for grief and healing KRTV-3 Great Falls, MT; by Aneesa Coomer; 9/23/25 On what would have been her 68th birthday, family, friends, and colleagues gathered Monday at Benefis Peace Hospice to honor the life and legacy of Terry Preite with the dedication of a new memorial garden. A longtime senior leader at Benefis Health System, Preite oversaw both Peace Hospice and the Benefis Foundation, programs she poured her heart into for much of her career. .... The new Terry Preite Memorial Garden features sculptures, walking paths, and quiet spaces for reflection. It was designed not only for hospice patients and families, but for anyone in the community seeking peace.

Grief etiquette in the digital age: Why waiting, listening, and respecting family wishes matters more than ever National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) - Remembering a Life; by Dr. Camelia L. Clarke; 10/2/25When my nephew died unexpectedly, I was still reeling from the news when my phone began to buzz with notifications. Within an hour, his death was already circulating on social media. The world had found out before our family had even begun to process the loss, let alone notify our closest friends and relatives. I remember feeling overwhelmed, exposed, and, most of all, heartbroken—not just by the loss itself, but by how quickly and impersonally it became public knowledge. As a funeral director and grief educator for nearly thirty years, I’ve witnessed this scenario unfold countless times. 

Doyel: I didn't know how strong and kind my special Mom was. Not until she started dying. Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, IN; by Greg Doyle; 10/1/25 The last time we talked, I told my mom the truth: I’d missed just how wonderful she was. Make no mistake, I knew she was wonderful. Kind, considerate, strong – she checked all the best boxes. And generous? Mom’s the most generous person I’ve ever known, and I’ve known it for years. But I didn’t know just how generous she was. Not until she started dying. Didn’t know how strong she was, either. Not until she was so weak she couldn’t stand on her own two feet. That’s when I finally saw it. ...

Shepherd’s Cove helps students cope with loss Messenger, Gadsden, AL; by Karla McArthur; 9/25/25 ... “When people think of Shepherd’s Cove, they think of a hospice facility, which is accurate but not the complete picture,” Smothers said. “They don’t necessarily connect the grief support with the hospice services.” The nonprofit’s hospice facility serves nine counties, but its in-school bereavement program currently reaches only four. Portions of Etowah County are included, allowing counselors to support students at several schools, including West End, Duck Springs, Highland, Sardis-area campuses and Attalla City schools. Smothers said the goal is to expand as more staff are added. A team of four social workers provides monthly counseling for students in grades K-12 who have experienced a loss. The loss does not have to be recent. “We operate under the precept that grief doesn’t have a timeline,” Smothers said. 

The silent grief of grandmothers after an out-of-order death-An interpretative phenomenological analysisDeath Studies; by Jordan Robertson, Elizabeth A Cutrer-Párraga, Paul Caldarella, Jeremy B Yorgason, Terrell Young, Erjola Gjini, Sarah Stuart, Savannah Tueller; 9/25This study delves into the lived experiences of grandmothers grappling with grief following the "out-of-order" death of a child, child-in-law, or grandchild ... Findings reveal three key themes: navigating personal grief, intergenerational support dynamics, and reconstructing family identity. Grandmothers oscillate between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping, with grief intensity varying by relational proximity-most profound when losing their own child. They provide emotional and practical support to surviving grandchildren, yet their own sorrow is frequently overlooked, fostering isolation. The study suggests the need for enhanced recognition and tailored support for grandmothers, integrating life course theory to address the disruption of off-time deaths, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to their bereavement process.

20-year-old twins reinvent a high plains farm after loss Successful Farming; by Lisa Foust Prater; 9/6/25 ... Kit Carson is a community of around 250 people in the High Plains of eastern Colorado. “There were nine kids in our graduating class, and we were two of them,” Alex said.  Just after senior year started, in September 2022, the brothers lost their mother, Maria, to cancer. Then, in January, they lost their father, Ervin, to the same disease. Ervin had been in the hospital since summer. When Maria’s cancer progressed, the couple was moved into hospice together, about 20 minutes from home. ... [Through their bereavement,] ... Alex and Paul made a decision: they were going to keep the farm going, and they were going to do it together. And although they learned countless lessons about farming from their father, they agreed they weren’t going to just keep doing things because that’s the way they had always been done. ...

NFDA honors Grief Awareness Day - Aug 30National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA); email; 8/28/25With Grief Awareness Day approaching on August 30, there's an untold story about the professionals quietly on the front lines of America's grief challenges—and it's not who you might expect. Funeral directors have become essential facilitators in helping families process loss in healthy ways. They’re challenging harmful cultural myths about grief. Through thoughtful service planning and creating space for open dialogue about death, funeral directors are guiding families toward healing. National Funeral Directors Association leaders are available to discuss:

Patient deaths, inner scars, and physicians’ need to grieveMedscape; by Andrea Goto; 8/6/25In 2023, Molly Taylor, MD, MS, a pediatric oncologist and attending physician at Seattle Children’s, sat in her parked car with tears streaming down her face. She was preparing to attend the memorial service for an 8-year-old patient she had lost a week prior. The patient’s mother had asked Taylor if she could share a few words about the little girl... Taylor is not alone in experiencing grief tinged with guilt after losing a patient. Although the prevalence of provider grief hasn’t been widely examined, a JPSM review published in 2023 indicated that it’s a significant issue in many areas of medicine.

My wife of 52 years just died. My grief is so overwhelming, I can barely cope. HuffPost; by Ronald Paxton; 8/11/25 ... March 1, 2022, was the day our lives changed forever. ...  My spouse, my wife of 52 years, my high school sweetheart was going to die, and there was nothing I or anyone else could do about it. ... The house is quiet now. I’m trying to move forward, but it’s hard. I thought we would grow old together. We did, but not nearly old enough. Diane’s death has taught me that no matter how much we love someone, we all have our own lives to live. The best way for me to honor the life Diane and I had together is to live the rest of my life the best way I know how. It’s late. I should try to sleep, but I think I’ll turn on the television. I need something to cover the sound of crying.

Midland Butterflies in the Park event raises $10,000 for hospice care Northern Michigan 9 & 10 News, Midland, MI; by Olivia Fellows; 8/7/25 More than 400 painted lady butterflies were released across three locations in Central Michigan on Sunday, Aug. 3, as part of the annual Butterflies in the Park event hosted by MyMichigan Home Care. Per an Aug. 7 news release, the symbolic release, held in Clare and Midland parks and at Woodland Hospice House in Mount Pleasant, honored and remembered loved ones lost. The ceremonies included brief commemorative presentations and musical performances. This year’s event raised more than $10,000 to support hospice patients in need of home care services, medications and medical supplies.

Working through grief: Exploring the relationship between organizational support on employee engagement, satisfaction, and loyaltyTransdisciplinary Journal of Management; Katie N. Hansen; 7/25For most people, work and grief are unavoidable, meaning the majority of employees will work while grieving. Over the past several decades, employer grief responses have been more strategic than human-focused, leaving the bereaved under-supported. The most significant finding [of this study] is a decline in how engaged, loyal, and satisfied employees feel post-loss. Statistical analysis confirms that bereavement leave, reintegration accommodations, and provided support impact employee engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction, with positive and moderate to high associations existing between several variables. Finally, the results suggest the quality of an employer’s response and support for grieving employees remains insufficient, as the majority of respondents felt the need to take leave in excess of the bereavement leave provided, were not granted flexible work accommodations, and post-loss workloads did not meet their needs.

Grief and the road to resilience Jewish Journal; by Chaim Steinmetz; 8/2/25 Mourning is unfashionable. A popular platitude is that funerals are meant to be a “celebration of life.” This seemingly innocuous phrase is actually a subtle form of peer pressure, demanding the heartbroken mourners remain upbeat so they don’t drag the mood down for the rest. The bereaved are counseled to look for “closure” and find a way to continue with their lives. ... This is a picture of mourning done wrong, an unwillingness to encumber one’s heart with the ugly and unruly emotions of loss and bereavement. Judaism emphasizes the importance of mourning; it affirms an ethics of memory, which obligates us to continue to honor our deceased family and friends. It is unthinkable for someone to pass away and for everyone else to just “move on” afterwards. Love demands that we mourn. Beyond the moral imperative, Judaism recognizes that mourning is transformative. Grieving is the first step towards resilience.