How do I get through this?
Understanding grief
We have been told that the death of a loved one may bring about profound changes. Grief is our normal response to life's losses as well as a natural part of the cycle of change. It is not an event but a process which takes time to unfold. Often, with the initial shock, people don't feel the full impact of the loss right away. It may come sometime later, when all the activity surrounding the funeral or service is over, and the initial shock has worn off.
People have different ways of expressing their feelings around death. You may feel the need to cry or talk about your feelings. Some people become focused on "doing something", while others prefer to work it through alone. There is no right way to grieve. Do what you need to do.
While every individual experiences loss differently, a number of reactions may be experienced as part of grief. Some people experience these feelings in a matter of days - for others, these feelings can come and go, on some level, throughout life.
Checklist - signs and symptoms of grief
In addition to the roller-coaster of feelings, there are a number of other reactions related to grief. They may occur at any point in the bereavement process - early on, or much later, even when you might think that you are no longer experiencing the effects of grief. Although there is a wide range of grief reactions, some common ones are listed below:
Getting through the crisis
Location and contact
Palliative care unit admissions (K1E/K1C)
For Palliative Care Unit Referrals.
Please refer to Making A Referral
Phone: 416-480-6182
Fax: 416-480-6118
Palliative care consult team
For inpatient consultations and ambulatory care clinic visits.
Please refer to Palliative Care Consult Team
Phone: 416-480-6100 ext. 67255
Fax: 416-480-5146
Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
If you have any questions regarding palliative care referrals and resources, please do not hesitate to contact us.
For urgent matters outside of business hours, please call locating at 416-480-4244 and ask the operator to page the "on-call palliative care physician/consultant".
Make a gift to the Palliative Care Unit at Sunnybrook:
