Death is one inevitable experience that everyone will share eventually. Death and grieving are a hard and unique experience for everyone. Unfortunately, it is a taboo topic for many people. When an individual is grieving the death of a loved one, it is common for other people in their life to be uncomfortable. People want to fix things and help their loved ones, but death is something that cannot be fixed. The added isolation from loved ones not knowing how to help only makes the grieving process more challenging.
Grief programs are there to help aid people through the process. These programs can teach coping mechanisms, provide a sense of community and provide therapy. Considering that death is a taboo topic, many people might not be aware of such programs or there might not be any programs near them. There needs to be more grieving programs, and the public needs to be made aware of such programs. Additionally, the public needs to confirm that the counselor running the grief program is certified.
One way for the public to learn about such programs could involve a heavy social media exposure. Club Forget Me Not is a grief program in Summit County and uses social media to reach potential people that might need it. Club Forget Me Not could be a template for other nonprofit grief programs. Club Forget Me Not is specifically for children and uses the outdoors to incorporate therapeutic activities.
Schools also could inform families of such programs after learning of a death in a student’s life. By incorporating grief programs into schools, this could also help reduce the stigma about death and grief. There also could be programs in schools to help children and adolescents grieve. These programs would need to be well thought out to prevent any added isolation.