A Carer's Guide: How to have a memorial service at home when you are unable to attend the funeral

How do we look after ourselves and others better in the wake of a health crisis such as Covid-19? This Carer’s Guide series offers practical help and guidance to carers who find themselves needing to provide spiritual support to older people or others in residential care. The aim of these guides is to give you the confidence and skills to enable those in your care not only to cope emotionally and spiritually but even to thrive, despite challenging circumstances.

Here you’ll find ideas for how to mark the passing of someone you cared for by taking some time to reflect on their memory and say goodbye. It’s something you may wish to do yourself at home, or with residents.

Debbie Thrower, Founder and Pioneer of Anna Chaplaincy for Older People, says: ‘Some of the lessons learned by Anna Chaplains are shared here so that spiritual care – along with medical, practical and emotional care – becomes accessible to all.’

Revd Sally Rees has been involved in pastoral ministry for 20 years. In 2014 Sally was ordained as deacon in the Church in Wales, with a responsibility to minister to older people in the community, in the St Catwg’s, Crickhowell, ministry area (ten churches and locations, five care homes and two retirement facilities). In 2018, Sally was appointed as Bishop’s Officer for Older People’s Ministry in the Swansea and Brecon Diocese. In 2020, Sally has taken on the role of Anna Chaplain Lead for Wales. Sally lives and worships in Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons. She is married to Gareth and has three grown-up children and seven grandchildren. Her mum, who is 95, has been living with dementia for over a decade.