Death Education
- What is death? Many teens know that death means you’re not longer living, breathing and alive—but what does that mean for the adolescent with the void of missing the deceased? Information on this will help them further understand grieving and bereavement services.
- How do bodies stop working? Teens will be interested to learn about the disease their loved ones had. It is important for them to understand what illnesses are hereditary so they know if they are at higher risk for something as well as what steps can be done for prevention.
- What happens after we die? Spirituality questions often arise when it comes to the question of afterlife, and bereavement support providers are usually prepared for this. If your agency is not affiliated with a specific spirituality or religion, make sure that your site is cultural competent for all spiritualities by not alienating one specific religion. An example that came up during our focus group was the use of virtually blowing out a candle for missing the lost loved one, but it would not be appropriate during the grieving period in Judaism practices.
One suggestion is to pick out some well-known organization sites on disease so that teens can learn about the disease process, how it could affect them, if they’re at risk for the disease, and what can be done for prevention. For example, heart disease information can be found in great detail on the American Heart Association’s website.
Next: Peer Support