Category Archives: bereavement

Big firms MUST change the insensitive way they treat bereaved families

 ‘When mum died, Lloyds made the grief even harder to bear

Close-knit: Money Mail writer Victoria Bischoff and her mum Julie, who died in April

  • When Victoria Bischoff’s mother Julie died in April, Lloyds were unhelpful
  • They made her call automated service and sent computer-generated letters
  • An insensitive customer service adviser asked a series of intrusive questions and didn’t know the rules about credit card debts
  • Other organisations such as the local council were much better 

Mum had been a customer at Lloyds Bank for around 25 years. The staff in her local branch in Coventry knew her well, so they had recognised me the moment I came through the door.

The woman behind the counter went pale. ‘You’re Julie’s daughter, aren’t you?’ she said. ‘I know what you’re here to say.’

Elderly people grieving the death of a loved one are often misdiagnosed as depressed

When they’re actually just lonely

  • Doctors often mistake bereavement with depression,  researchers warn
  • Rather than prescribing drugs, more should be done to tackle loneliness

Suffering from bereavement, many older people seek help from a GP to cope with the crushing feelings of loneliness.

Find out more

Carers need support to continue after the death of a loved one, claims report

People who give up a caring role to which they have devoted much of their lives often suffer from depression

Health Correspondent

Thursday 19 February 2015

Support for carers must not stop after the person they look after passes away or moves out of the home, a new report has urged.

Carers need help not just to look after loved ones, but also to cope with the aftermath of their caregiving coming to an end, the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK) said.