2024 State of Grief Report reveals ongoing need and growing desire for holistic bereavement support.

Annually commissioned by the New York Life Foundation to evaluate the bereavement landscape, the 2024 State of Grief Report highlights not only the ongoing need, but also a growing desire, for holistic help and support for those experiencing grief in workplaces, schools, and communities.

“Grief is a natural experience, yet a topic not widely discussed,” said Heather Nesle, president of the New York Life Foundation, one of the largest corporate funders of bereavement support. “Our work in the bereavement space has shown the crucial nature of identifying those who are grieving, raising awareness of grief’s impacts, and highlighting the resources that are available. As the need for bereavement support is ever present, the growing interest to do more, particularly from workplace colleagues, teachers, and afterschool professionals, is heartening.”

Seventy-one percent of employed adults indicated being very or somewhat interested in taking voluntary grief support training to help their colleagues through a loss. Other notable findings include:

• Eighty-five percent of those surveyed agreed they would be proud to work at an employer that has publicly committed to being grief-supportive.
• Eighty percent of respondents believe there should be an emphasis on establishing a systemic approach to identifying bereaved children and linking them with support services.
• Eighty-one percent of respondents think that at least one of a bereaved child’s personal documents (i.e., school, medical, government) should indicate their loss.
• Ninety percent of both teachers and afterschool professionals agree that identifying students who have faced a significant death, such as a parent or caregiver, is crucial information that should be included in school records.
• Ninety-two percent of teachers, and eighty-nine percent of afterschool professionals, would like to do more to support grieving students.

“This year’s State of Grief report provides opportunities for action,” said Maria Collins, vice president of the New York Life Foundation. “We encourage all to reflect on how best to bring these resources to their employers, schools, and communities to support those who may be grieving and to foster a more grief-supportive culture.”

The 2024 State of Grief Report, which also features insights from the New York Life Foundation’s extensive network of bereavement experts, is available here.

Bereavement resources from the New York Life Foundation can be found here.