Support is available for you, your family, and friends. Your loved ones may need this support before and/or after your death. Grief and bereavement services are available across the province. Bereavement support means support for loved ones after a death.

Grief and loss are part of every stage of your kidney disease. You probably have many worries or questions about what’s to come for you and your family members/support people.
 
Thinking ahead to future losses or death is called anticipatory grief and it’s a time to share thoughts and feelings and to start to say goodbye.  After a death, the family and support people will face a new kind of grief and will need to look after many practical things too. This can be a confusing and challenging time. Everyone on your healthcare team will support you and your family and friends.  Loss, death, grief and mourning are normal and they are also the hardest experiences to go through.   

Your healthcare team may be able to give you more resources in your area. There are also more resources you can access by calling 2-1-1 to help find community and social services in a specific part of the province.

Additional Resources

• Call 2-1-1 to help find community and social services in a specific part of the province
• AHS Layers of Grief Brochure
• My Health Alberta: Grief & Bereavement
• Inform Alberta
• Saying Farewell: A guide to assist you with preplanning and with the death and dying process.
• Alberta Funeral Service Association
• Canadian Virtual Hospice
• Calgary Grief Support program and brochure. People can self-refer by calling 403-955-8016
• Bereavement resources in Edmonton
• Pilgrims Hospice