Bereavement Support [Redesign]
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Grief is a personal experience, and individuals and families may respond in different ways. The death of a loved one can bring emotional and physical reactions, as well as important decisions and arrangements in the days that follow.
UCLA Health provides guidance and resources to support individuals and families during this time. This webpage includes information from the Coping with Loss guide, along with access to support services and practical next steps.
Bereavement Resources
Coping with Loss (Adults)
Guidance for adults after the death of a loved one
The Coping with Loss (Adults) brochure is available as a downloadable PDF.
A printed brochure may be requested from your care team.
Translated versions of the brochure are offered in Spanish, Farsi, Simplified Chinese, and Korean to support our diverse communities.
Brochure [Downloadable]
Translated versions of the Coping with Loss brochure are offered in Spanish, Farsi, Simplified Chinese, and Korean to support our diverse communities.
- Español – Download PDF
- فارسی (Farsi) – Download PDF
- 中文（简体) (Simplified Chinese) – Download PDF
- 한국어 (Korean) – Download PDF
Coping with Grief When Your Child Dies
Compassionate guidance for parents coping with the loss of a child
This brochure provides compassionate, supportive information for parents grieving the death of a child. It offers reassurance and practical guidance on common emotional, physical, and relational responses to grief, acknowledges the lifelong nature of parental loss, and shares gentle insights to help families navigate daily life, relationships, and the evolving “new normal” over time.
Brochure [Downloadable]
- - video (Opens to the Video)
UCLA Health Services
UCLA Health offers services to assist individuals and families during end-of-life care and throughout the bereavement process.
Care Coordination and Social Work
Emotional support and practical guidance for patients and families.
Care Coordination
Department of Care Coordination and Clinical Social Work
The Department of Care Coordination and Clinical Social Work provides emotional support and practical guidance for patients and families. Social workers assist with care planning, counseling support, and connection to community resources.
Contact:
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center: 310-267-2900
- UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center: 424-259-2700
- UCLA West Valley Medical Center: 818-676-4016
Decedent Affairs
Guidance on next steps, documentation, and coordination support after a death.
Decedent Affairs
Decedent Affairs staff and nursing supervisors provide guidance on next steps following a death, including coordination of required documentation and communication with mortuaries.
Contact:
- Ronald Reagan Decedent Affairs: 310-825-7546
- UCLA Santa Monica Nursing Supervisors: 424-259-6000
- UCLA West Valley Nursing Supervisors: 818-676-4000
Ronald Reagan Decedent Affairs Office Hours:
Monday–Friday: 9 am – 6 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm
After hours and holidays, please contact the hospital nursing supervisor.
Santa Monica and West Valley nursing supervisors are available 24 hours a day.
Child Life Support
Support for children and teens coping with serious illness or loss.
Child Life Support
Chase Child Life Program
Child life specialists support children and teens coping with the serious illness or death of a loved one. Services include age-appropriate guidance, emotional support, and memory-making activities.
Contact:
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center: 310-267-2510
- UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center: 424-259-8193
- UCLA West Valley Medical Center: 818-676-4463
Spiritual Care
Spiritual and emotional support that honors individual beliefs and traditions.
Spiritual Care
Department of Spiritual Care
Chaplains are available to provide spiritual and emotional support that honors individual beliefs, values, and traditions.
Contact
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
In the hospital - extension 57484
Outside the hospital -
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
In the hospital - extension 98170
Outside the hospital -
UCLA West Valley Medical Center
In the hospital – contact a nurse
Outside the hospital –
Quiet spaces for reflection and prayer are available at all campuses.
Additional Resources
The following materials include reflection prompts, memory-making activities, and written resources for individuals and families. They may be used during end-of-life care or after a loss.
Reflection and Expression
Mourner’s Bill of Rights
A written statement affirming the personal and individual nature of grief.
“The Four Things” Reflection
A guided exercise centered on four meaningful statements: “Please forgive me,” “I forgive you,” “Thank you,” and “I love you.”
Letter to a Loved One
A structured, fill-in-the-blank letter for expressing memories, gratitude, or personal reflections.
Memory-Making and Bedside Activities
Memory Making
Ideas for creating keepsakes and shared moments that preserve meaningful memories.
Bedside Reflection Worksheet
A step-by-step worksheet with suggested activities and prompts to consider at the bedside.