The web-based resource – called My Grief My Way – provides self-help support solutions for people who are grieving.
The online hub has been developed using evidence of the common experiences that people encounter after losing someone important to them, and of what helps people to recover or heal after loss.
Self-guided resource
The free resource gives people immediate access to support from any location, which they can work through at their own pace.
More than 3.5m people are bereaved in the UK each year, typically 60 per cent of people who are bereaved adjust with support from family and friends. However, around 40 per cent need additional support, yet service availability is inconsistent across the UK, and timely access to this is limited, experts say.
Through My Grief My Way people have access to a bank of short videos from people sharing their experiences of what helped them cope after loss, as well as soothing images, poetry, practical exercises and support for living with grief.
Signposts to support
It also directs people to information sources on some of the practical impacts of bereavement such as loss of income, disrupted sleep and lack of self-care.
The team developed the content around the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) which helps people improve their mental health by changing how they respond to their thoughts and feelings.
The end-of-life charity Marie Curie and Cruse Scotland also guided aspects of the work, as well as individuals with experience of bereavement who shared their feedback. Bereavement support volunteers from both charities were trained in the principles of ACT, so they could incorporate ACT into their usual bereavement support practices, and signpost people to My Grief My Way.
Support and care
My Grief My Way was tested with 27 people who had been bereaved, and who accessed the hub over an eight-week period. The majority perceived the hub as a positive experience, finding it supportive and caring, providing a sense of community and helping with coping skills. They found it easy to use, and valued its flexibility and accessibility. For many, using My Grief My Way was related to improvements in overall wellbeing.