Bereavement care, often an ‘afterthought,’ should be public health priority

Bereavement care, often an ‘afterthought,’ should be public health priority 
Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 5/26/24 
Health care institutions and their staffs must take action to ensure bereavement care shifts from “an afterthought to a public health priority,” according to a position paper published in The Lancet Public Health. Bereavement support often is considered part of palliative care; however, there often is a lack of continuity of care for bereaved individuals after a person dies in palliative or end-of-life care settings, the paper’s authors contend. Healio spoke with [co-author Wendy G. Lichtenthal,PhD, founding director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine] about what bereavement care encompasses, why it should be prioritized and how institutions can support grieving individuals who may require assistance.