Our latest reader's story highlights what can happen when managers only go through the motions of dealing with a bereaved member of staff and reminds us that compassionate support needs to be ongoing. My Dad My father died in July 2016 aged 94. I was 55 at the time. My Mum died in 1997. I am an only child. The 12 years before my father’s dementia were wonderful years as our father/daughter relationship was adult to adult and very respectful, open, understanding and close. Just like a father/daughter relationship should be. We were always close but I will never forget those significant 12 years. However, Dad was diagnosed with dementia in 2010. He and I lived very well with it because we did not make a song and dance of…
This week we have another reader's story. She discusses her father's death and how compassionate support at work was an invaluable gift. Professional and ambitious Like any other ambitious twenty something, I loved life. I had worked (and played) extremely hard to get myself into a position where I was thriving. The future looked bright and I felt a real sense of purpose that I was going to get to wherever it was I wanted to go. I was proving my worth and soaking up skills and knowledge like a sponge. I had blossomed into the independent, professional woman I had always wanted to be. From the age of 25, however, I lived with a dark personal truth lurking in the background. A dark and heavy suitcase I knew at…