Funeral directors’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed method study

Abstract

To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on death rituals among funeral directors (FDs) (N = 134), we administered a questionnaire and conducted three focus group interviews (N = 21). The merged results showed that the FDs perceived significant disruptions to all rituals but mostly to memorials. Infection control, social distancing, the constraints on attendee numbers and difficult prioritisation of who to be allowed into the rituals, highly impacted the grief of the bereaved and their own ability to convey care. Despite low burnout scores, the FDs found their work life stressful, changed and challenging amid the pandemic but still filled with meaning and job satisfaction. Our recommendations include for spacious venues, prioritising efforts for feasible memorials, maintaining stable numbers and distance restrictions, ensuring participation for children and easily left out groups, creating a prioritising guide for quantity restrictions, and offering digital support for funeral staff.