With the help of the VYV group, the association Mieux travers le deuil has set up a listening platform on a national scale during confinement. Objective: to support and give hope to people in mourning, suffering during the health crisis.
The complex process of grieving has been put to the test during the confinement. With the ban on gathering and visiting loved ones in nursing homes or in hospitals, many French people have had difficulty coping with the loss of a loved one. It is therefore no surprise that Damien Boyer, founder of Better cope with mourning and director, has seen calls multiply in recent weeks.
“They were linked to the deaths caused by Covid-19, but above all to the fact of not being able to be at the bedside or at the funeralhe assures. This suppresses funeral rituals: it is absolutely terrible”. Created in 2019 after the broadcast of the film And I choose to live, the association accompanies people in mourning, whether following the funeral or up to 20 years after the loss of a loved one. Through a digital platform, articles and videos are offered, as well as support through chat and telephone exchanges.
“We wanted to listen to them and give them hope”
Faced with the influx of deaths linked to the new coronavirus, Better through grief launched a national listening platform two weeks after the start of confinement, with the help of the VYV group. “We said to ourselves that it was not possible to leave people like that: we wanted to listen to them and give them hope”, says Damien Boyer. A total of 800 listeners were deployed to respond to calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“We receive between 100 and 170 a day, for discussions that generally last more than 30 minuteshe says. It works very well at night, so we have set up a partnership with associations in Quebec so that they can take over this niche.”. In the same way, a partnership has taken place with the Ministry of Health, so that all hospitals in France are aware of the initiative and can refer those who wish to do so to the platform.
“We will see if we have the capacity to continue, but that would be the objective”
“For the moment, we are continuing the listening service: the number of calls has not decreased much with the deconfinementnotes Damien Boyer. Then we’ll see if we have the ability to continue, but that would be the goal.”. Another project: the development of a forum to allow people to talk to each other on specific topics, such as the loss of a brother or sister. “We are also in the process of setting up a green telephone for mourningcontinues the founder of the association. We think especially of the elderly, who may have digital blockage”.
Damien Boyer insists: mourning alone is very difficult. “You have to have resources and see other testimonials, it helps a lot, he assures. That allows you to feel more normal, to see where you are in the stage of mourning. Then, we realize that it takes place over a lifetime: this is good news, because it means that the attachment and love that we have for the person we have lost continues.. A note of hope, for those who believe that experiencing their grief is very positive. “It’s a way to pay homage”he concludes.
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