Personal life

Questions we get asked the most

Difficult conversations

These pages are aimed at family, friends and carers who want to talk to a relative about difficult and sensitive subjects. They may also help if you are an older person and want to talk about a sensitive subject yourself.

Getting out and about

Getting out and about is important for our wellbeing but it can become more challenging as we get older. You can get advice if you want to carry on driving safely and you may be eligible for a Blue Badge to help with parking. If you don’t drive, there are aids to help you stay mobile, as well as travel discounts, special transport schemes, help with shopping, and accessible holidays.

Loneliness

Loneliness can affect all of us from time to time – it's the feeling of sadness that comes from not having as much company or the type of company that you would like.

Relationships in later life

Strong relationships can contribute to your health and wellbeing and, in later life, partners, family and friends can be an important source of support. All relationships come under pressure at times and, sadly, things can go wrong. Whether you're thinking of ending a relationship or starting a new one, there is help available if you need it.

Staying safe online

The internet is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends and it can make your life easier. You can do your shopping online, get better access to health and information services or use it for entertainment. But there are dangers and you need to protect yourself and your computer so you can stay safe.

GriefChat - Online service only

Please use pop-up chat box below.

Everyone grieves in a way that is unique to them and their relationship with the person who has died. GriefChat provides emotional support for bereaved people, access to trained bereavement counsellors and referral into other specialist bereavement services.

Most people expect to be very upset or distressed when someone close to them has died. What takes many people by surprise is how strong the emotions can be, how they can change very quickly, and how long they last. People around you may seem to think you should be ‘back to normal’ after a few weeks or months. You might appear to be your usual self to other people, but you know that on the inside, you’re not even sure what normal is anymore.

Well-intentioned people may say to you, ‘Time is a great healer.’ Sometimes, however, it can seem that life is more difficult as the weeks and months go by.

We know that no-one can understand exactly what your loss feels like to you. But we do understand that it’s sometimes easier to talk to someone outside of your friends and family about grief and the impact of bereavement of your life and this is why we offer the GriefChat service.

GriefChat was created by bereavement experts and you can chat directly to a specially trained bereavement counsellor. GriefChat counsellors are experienced in supporting bereaved people and will listen to your story, explore how your grief is affecting you and help you to find any additional support you might need. GriefChat is a completely free service and is available Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm or by email out of these hours.

GriefChat provides emotional support for bereaved people, access to trained bereavement counsellors and referral into other specialist bereavement services.

When someone dies

When someone dies, it can be overwhelming. There is a lot that needs to be done at a time when you may feel ill-equipped to deal with it. Support is available and careful planning can help.

You can reach bereavement experts by clicking on the GriefChat box below where you can chat directly to a specially trained bereavement counsellor. GriefChat counsellors are experienced in supporting bereaved people and will listen to your story, explore how your grief is affecting you and help you to find any additional support you might need. GriefChat is a completely free service and is available Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm or by email out of these hours.