Many people have experienced and will experience the death of someone they love during the COVID-19 pandemic. It may have been a COVID-related death or a death from other causes. People may also be finding a previous bereavement more difficult at this time.
While we may be seeing reductions in the number of deaths connected to COVID-19, we know that people’s pain and grief does not diminish as quickly.
In the face of such loss and trauma, the Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line, in partnership with the HSE, has been launched to provide connection, comfort and support, in these exceptional times.
COVID-19 restrictions have changed the traditional ways we mark our grief. For the moment, it is not possible to come together like we did traditionally. This means many people are facing bereavement in isolation.
What is the IHF Bereavement Support line?
It is a national freephone service 1800 80 70 77 which will be available from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.
- We aim to provide a confidential space for people to speak about their experience or to ask questions relating to the death of someone during the COVID-19 pandemic or a previous bereavement that is more difficult at this time
- We will listen to what a person says about what has happened
- We will do our best to provide comfort and emotional support
- We will provide any information that might help the caller, including information on practical supports.
- We will provide support for employers or professionals who want to inform the care their organisation can offer to bereaved colleagues
Confidentiality
The service is confidential. What you tell us will not be shared except in certain circumstances where, for safeguarding reasons, we may need to share your information with the emergency services. On the call, we might ask your first name, because it’s a natural question to ask in a conversation, but you don’t have to tell us if you prefer not to.
Further Information
Visit our FAQ section here
Can you help spread the word?
We would like as many people as possible in Ireland to know about this new free service. We have prepared a Bereavement Support Line information pack Please feel free to view/download/print out or forward this to anyone who may need it. Thank you.
The Irish Hospice Foundation is the national charity dedicated to death, dying and bereavement. For over 30 years, we have been working towards the best end-of-life and bereavement care, for all in Ireland. Bereavement affects us all and up to 300,000 Irish people can be bereaved each year. We offer an excellent source of information and services in bereavement as well as high-quality training for professionals and volunteers.
In response to COVID-19, we have set up our new Care & Inform hub on the Irish Hospice Foundation website which includes a new series of resources on grief and loss to support those who are bereaved in these exceptional times.