The Time to Reflect survey, commissioned by Irish Hospice Foundation to explore the impact of Covid on the experiences and perceptions of the Irish population in relation to dying, death, and bereavement during this time found that the Covid pandemic had a profound impact on people’s experience of death, dying and grieving. A total of 2,259 participants completed the national survey from November 2021 to February 2022.
Over half (54%) had experienced the death of someone close to them. More than 6 in 10 (64%) of those bereaved said their ability to grieve was negatively affected. 7 in 10 (70%) people reported that family and friends were excluded from funerals because of public health measures.
6 in 10 (67%) people said they have greater awareness of grief since the pandemic. Almost half (47%) have given more thought to their own end-of-life wishes. Over half (54%) stated that people in their community found other ways, in the absence of traditional ones, to honour the person who had died.
4 in 10 (40%) people revealed that they did not receive the support they needed following the death of a loved one. Only half (54%) reported that their loved one received the level of care they needed at end of life.