The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of our lives.
However, one of the most challenging issues facing people is coping with their loved ones coming towards the end of their lives.
With social distancing and restrictions on gatherings in place for over a year, the impact has been huge for hospices and those coming to terms with personal loss.
Siobhán O’Brien Green, head of Healthcare Programmes at the Irish Hospice Foundation, said it has been an "immensely challenging" 12 months.
"We work in the Irish Hospice Foundation with our colleagues across the different healthcare settings about the hospice approach to end of life, that would include nursing homes, hospitals, residential care facilities and also with general practise in the community," she told Newstalk Breakfast with Susan Keogh.
"All these sectors have had immense challenges throughout COVID in terms of the infection prevention control protocols, for responding to staff issues, responding to the needs of people who are coming towards the end of life, facing death and dying, and of course their families and relatives too.
"It's an immensely challenging time period that we are still working through at the moment."
Much of the Irish Hospice Foundation's work in enabling and supporting people to provide the best end of life care has gone virtual during the pandemic.
The foundation developed a new online hub last year as part of a rapid response to the issues it was hearing on the ground.
The charity has been navigating multiple challenges but it's imperative that they "get it right", Ms O’Brien Green said.
They have been collaborating with the HSE and HPSC to make sure visits to loved ones coming towards the end of their lives can be permitted within the public health guidelines.
"It's so important that people are enabled to visit and spend time with their loved ones, and not just in their final hours or minutes, it's in the lead-up to death and the dying process as well that people are enabled to visit," she added.
"It's not how anybody wants to work or how anybody wants to say goodbye to their loved one or for someone they might have cared for a long time in a nursing home, and the sense of touch is so important."
If you're grieving in these difficult times, you don’t have to feel alone. Call our Bereavement Support Line today to talk in confidence.
Free ☎️ 1800 80 70 77.
We are a shoulder for you to lean on.
In partnership with @HSELive
👉https://t.co/5Q0WmOArSd pic.twitter.com/SPsHXqsY9p— Irish Hospice Foundation (@IrishHospice) April 20, 2021
Ms O’Brien Green added that the Irish Hospice Foundation recognised the significant effect the pandemic would have on people's ability to grieve, and so a helpline was set up to offer support.
"The grieving and bereavement in exceptional times have been another real focus of our work," she said.
"We set up a national Bereavement Support Line with our colleagues in the HSE and we encourage families, members of the community and particularly health and social care workers as well to use the freephone number around getting support and reaching out.
"The grief, the loss, the bereavement, the dying we're experiencing right now are not what any of us want to be working with or living with or experiencing.
"We need to be mindful there will be impacts going forward on what we've experienced."
When COVID-19 guidelines are eased, the Irish Hospice Foundation would welcome fewer restrictions on visiting, as well as more staff capacity to enable visits.
"Staff need to be facilitated to enable safe visiting for the person who is dying and their family," Ms O’Brien Green said.
The national freephone Bereavement Support Line is 1800 80 70 77 and will be available from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.
