Walking Beside Them: Supporting Children and Families Through Illness, Dying, and Grief

Course overview

This activity addresses common barriers to effective grief support, including limited formal training, discomfort discussing death and loss, lack of understanding of developmental grief responses, and uncertainty regarding appropriate interventions. Through expert-led instruction, practical examples, and evidence-informed strategies, participants will gain tools that can be readily incorporated into healthcare, hospice, home health, and long-term care settings. The program encourages reflection on current practices while providing actionable communication techniques, grief-informed frameworks, and supportive care strategies that can be implemented immediately. By increasing awareness, knowledge, and confidence, the activity helps reduce barriers related to competence and comfort, empowering healthcare professionals to provide more effective emotional support and improve outcomes for patients, families, residents, and interdisciplinary care teams.