About this resource
After a death, families often face many practical tasks while grieving. This checklist groups common tasks into the first days, the first weeks and the following months, with a table for sharing tasks among family and friends. It is a guide only, as tasks differ by circumstances, state or territory and culture.
Purpose
To reduce overwhelm by breaking practical tasks into manageable steps that can be shared.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Social workers. Also relevant for community services and case workers.
Client or participant group: Bereaved families and the social workers supporting them.
Practice setting: Hospital, palliative care, community and bereavement services.
Suggested uses
- Bereavement support in hospital and palliative care
- Supporting families with limited support networks
- Planning with executors
- Referral to bereavement and financial support
Instructions for practitioners
- Offer the checklist gently and only when the family is ready.
- Respect cultural and religious practices around death.
- Help prioritise urgent tasks.
- Offer referral to bereavement support and, where needed, legal or financial help.
Instructions for clients or participants
- Look at the list when you are ready.
- Share tasks with others.
- Ask for help with anything you are unsure about.
Accessibility considerations
Workers can go through the list with families. Interpreters can support.
Scope and limitations
A general guide. It is not legal or financial advice. Requirements differ between states and territories and circumstances.
Research basis
The dual process model describes healthy grieving as moving between facing the loss and attending to everyday life.
- Stroebe, M., & Schut, H. (1999). The dual process model of coping with bereavement: Rationale and description. Death Studies, 23(3), 197–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/074811899201046
What is included
A 3-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
