Bereavement pertains to the state of having lost a loved one to death and the time period after. The expression is used interchangeably with the term, grief; which is descriptive in essence, often articulated as a series of psychological, physical, behavioural and emotional responses. Grief is also used more broadly than bereavement, incorporating other losses an individual may experience over a lifespan (Zisook & Shear, 2009). It cannot be disputed both terms appear with some inconsistency within literature; however this editorial will refer to bereavement as an emotional state experienced after a death and grief as a process.

The emotional and sometimes physical pain experienced after a death will be different for everybody; with no correct formulae on how to feel or what to do once a loss is experienced. Although similar responses will occur amongst individuals, no two experiences will be exactly the same, so comparisons are futile as factors such as personality, mental health, coping skills, support systems, the nature of the relationship with the deceased person, the experience of illness, how the disease progressed and time frames will all play a contributing role (Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement, 2015).