Richard's story

Richard, a chartered surveyor in his 60s, first rang LionHeart when his elderly mother was terminally ill and receiving end of life care in a home.

He was struggling to cope with his emotions and seeing how his mum - formerly a fit, active and fiercely independent woman - had declined mentally and physically and had become bed-ridden after an initial fall led to a series of health complications. The situation was made even more difficult for him and his family due to the restrictions that had been placed on care home visiting because of coronavirus.

Richard had regular calls with a LionHeart support officer, who gave him time and space to reflect on his feelings and talk about them during his mother's final few weeks and after her death. Having been brought up with a 'get on with it and put work first' kind of outlook, he admitted he had been completely unprepared for the impact of the grief he was feeling.

He said: "You helped me understand the grieving process, both while my mother was near the end of her life and in the immediate weeks afterwards.

"My support officer, Clare, was excellent and really helped me understand, and how to cope with, each stage of grief.

"LionHeart's support made an immense difference. You helped me survive, cope and begin the recovery process."

Richard stayed in touch with his support officer while he and his brother were wrapping up their mother's legal and financial affairs. He knows he is able to make contact again at any point in the future if he needs our help.

*Richard agreed to share his story. His name has been changed to protect privacy

Find out more:

• There are many ways LionHeart can offer support after a bereavement, from emotional support and counselling to financial help if bereavement has left you struggling to cope. Find out more here
• Call one of the team free on 0800 009 2960 (+44 121 289 3300 from overseas)