It is acknowledged that you often develop close relationships with residents, which can make it challenging to cope when residents die, even if the loss is anticipated. Sometimes the experience of losing a resident might feel like losing a family member. Managing loss has likely become more difficult during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the frequent and increased number of deaths and changes to how you are able to care for residents (e.g. contact restrictions due to PPE and loved ones not being able to visit). You may also feel worried about catching the virus, the impact on your own family, and experience increased pressures due to staff and resource shortages.

This challenging situation can be expected to evoke a range of difficult emotions, including stress, anxiety, sadness, guilt, and powerlessness. You might notice sudden or gradual changes to how you feel and behave, such as: tiredness, disrupted sleep, loss of enthusiasm for normal activities, forgetfulness, concentration difficulties, appetite changes and proneness to minor illness. Everybody copes with loss in different ways, below are some suggestions that you might find helpful.