Abstract
The realization that bereavement grief consumes medical and welfare resources has increased public interest in preventing or reducing prolonged/persistent grief. After reviewing the merits and limitations of pharmacological and psychological approaches to grief, this research focuses on aspects of funeral rituals that exacerbated or ameliorated grief in Japan. A team of experts from the All-Japan Funeral Co-operation® categorized and discussed hundreds of anonymous open-ended responses to a nationwide survey of mourners, conducted within a year of their bereavement. The team extracted eight major categories demanding attention and improvement:
(1) Cooperating with priests and religious institutions;
(2) Detailed explanation of funeral services and costs;
(3) Coordinating with medical workers and institutions;
(4) Careful conduct of the funeral itself;
(5) Crematorium trauma and catering service;
(6) Insufficient invitation;
(7) Follow-up with the bereaved;
(8) Pre-planning of funeral rituals.
This article discusses the details of and advice for each category. In addition, the comments emphasized that funeral planners should consider and consult with the bereaved about the wishes of the deceased, and the perspectives of friends and relatives uninvited to the funeral. Overall, this study documents the importance of funeral directors’ cooperation with religious and medical services, their attention to the feelings and concerns of the bereaved, and the advisability of funeral pre-planning and follow-through, for the reduction of prolonged or persistent grief.