title: Helpful aspects of bereavement support for adults following an expected death: volunteers' and bereaved people's perspectives.
abstract: Helpful and unhelpful aspects of bereavement support were investigated from the perspectives of 24 bereaved adults and their volunteer bereavement support workers. Most commonly reported themes were the provision of hope and reassurance, and the opportunity for continued sharing and support. Significantly more clients than volunteers reported provision of information, and talking to someone outside their social network as helpful, and both groups scored higher on helpfulness ratings than comparative groups of psychotherapists and clients. Clients' grieving styles and the quality of the helping relationship were also related to what was seen as helpful.
authors.affiliation: Oxford University, Isis Education Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.affiliation: Oxford University, Isis Education Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Llewelyn
authors.affiliation: Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Relf
authors.affiliation: Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001601:Bereavement; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D014838:Volunteers