Death of a parent

Conversing with children when someone is dying

A child reads Bye Bye Butterfly book

It’s important for children to be part of our conversations when someone is dying. One of our little family members is asking a lot about death. The same question is often repeated, she wants concrete answers and asks“Can I touch them?” This is nothing to be worried about. USA based … Read more

On mothers – and what we appreciate when they’re gone.

This article was updated on March 30, 2023. It discusses ageing and motherhood. Today a nod to all the mothers who have gone. My mother died in 2011. These days I don’t miss her as much but I feel her presence very strongly. The connection is more revealed. I feel … Read more

Feel The Magic

Feel The Magic is a charity started by James Thomas to help to support young people aged 7-17 dealing with the loss of a parent, sibling or legal guardian.

This article was update on 12 October, 2022. It features Feel the Magic an organisation by John and Kristy Thomas. Every now and then we meet or hear of someone working in the grief space, with an idea that is truly magical. Feel the Magic by John and Kristy Thomas, … Read more

Living with Grief.

Living with Grief Seminar, Saturday September 10, 2022.

The Calvary Bereavement Counselling Service, Kogarah, will be running a ‘Living with Grief ‘ seminar for anyone who wants to learn a little more about grief. We’ll share a cup of tea and listen to the seminar sessions in a warm, friendly atmosphere where you can hear a range of … Read more

Libby’s story.

This story first appeared in the June 16, 2022 issue of our Good Grief! newsletter. What is pharmacy’s role in improving palliative care? A vital one, according to those who know. We’ve talked a lot in these pages about the need to improve access to palliative care and a 2022 … Read more

Melbourne study confirms intense suffering for families of those dying in nursing homes during Covid-19

Melbourne study confirms extra suffering for families of those dying in nursing homes during Covid-19 - Photo by Patricia Prudente on Unsplash

The families of those dying in residential aged care experienced intense levels of stress and suffering because of Covid-19 lockdowns, research from Melbourne confirms. While the research acknowledges something reported all over the world, the authors believe it is the first Australian qualitative study of the issues. Dr Paul Yates … Read more

My father died on Wednesday.

Dear reader, It’s Christmas Day and my father died on Wednesday. It was not unexpected but the enormity of it is so vast I haven’t yet reached the other side. I have tried several times to write something for you about it. I think this is important because the purpose … Read more

Let’s talk about it.

With Sallie Tisdale at ABC studios for Life Matters

Christine from Brisbane’s father died in August, so not that long ago, as she explained on Radio National yesterday. She phoned in to speak on Hilary Harper’s Life Matters program: “Preparing for the loss of a loved one.” Christine’s father had a stroke 18 months before and as his death … Read more

Farewell to Pauline Helen Hensley

Pauline Helen Hensley

Pauline looked as though she was just doing the ordinary things: just getting on with it because, as she said, you’ve got no choice. But she was being absolutely extraordinary.

Spiritual experiences around the time of death

Spiritual experiences around the time of death

Spiritual experiences around the time of death can be very powerful. Sometimes these alert others that someone they love has died.  My friend Carolyn Parfitt shares a story that is a good example of this. “My husband and I were away camping in Kakadu National Park and we were out … Read more

Remembering mothers today

A photo of my mother just with me – something very rare. It’s Mother’s Day in Australia – a chance to reflect on all the lovely mothers who have gone before us. I’m loving seeing my friends tributes splashed across social media. I love especially the photos of women taken … Read more

Things that I might forget on the first flight after my mother’s death

by Katherine Delaney That the captain was a woman with the first name of Rowena. That the mother behind me exhorting up, up, up in a high voice to her young child sounded like she was trying to re-assure herself. That I comforted myself by knowing that the fact that … Read more

Flowers for Jean

When my friend Susan’s mother Jean was cremated at Leura Memorial Gardens in Autumn this year, her family used lots of flowers and foliage from her garden in the Blue Mountains of NSW to adorn her coffin. It was a way of expressing something about Jean, who’d always loved the … Read more