National Grief and Bereavement Day in Canada Date in the current year: November 19, 2024

Grief is a natural and normal response to the loss of someone or something important to you. The term bereavement is sometimes used interchangeably with grief, but bereavement refers to the state of loss, while grief is the reaction to that loss. Although most people associate grief primarily with death, it is possible to experience grief in connection with various other losses, both physical and abstract, such as the end of a relationship (not necessarily romantic), illness, unemployment, and even missed opportunities.

Grief is a vital process that involves acknowledging your loss, coping with the changes it brings to your life, adjusting to life as it goes on, healing, and growing. It’s important to remember that everyone grieves in their own way, and grief is not something you can “fix” or “get over”.

Everyone will have to deal with grief at some point in their lives. However, despite being a common experience, grief often goes unrecognized in society. According to a recent survey, 53% of Canadians feel their grief is largely unrecognized, and 50% feel they lack adequate support in their grief journey. Grief often leaves us feeling disconnected from the world and makes it difficult to reach out for help and support.

Finding the right words to support someone who is grieving can be challenging. If you want to help, reach out to let them know you are thinking of them and acknowledge their loss, but do not assume what they need and respect their boundaries if they are not ready to talk. Some thoughtful ways to start a conversation might be, “I’m sorry this happened to you”, “I won’t pretend to know what you’re going through or how you’re feeling, but I’m here if you need me”, or “If you’d like to talk about your loss, I’m here to listen.”

National Grief and Bereavement Day is promoted by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA), its members and partners, and other stakeholders. It was created to break the silence surrounding grief, normalize grief as an essential part of life, advocate for those experiencing grief, anticipatory grief, bereavement and chronic sorrow, and make grief resources more accessible.

National Grief and Bereavement Day events include memorial walks, gatherings, services and other activities, social media campaigns, and more. This day is a great opportunity for people to share fond memories of those they have loved and lost, and to learn how to cope with their grief in healthy ways.

There are many ways to participate in National Grief and Bereavement Day. You can share your personal experiences with grief to normalize it, attend a grief support event, offer support to someone who is grieving, donate to or volunteer with an organization that helps people cope with grief and loss, and use social media to raise awareness of the observance.