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Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)

Resources

Visit the frequently asked questions tab to answer some of the questions you may have about MAID.

Grief and bereavement

If you are the loved one of someone who has chosen a medically assisted death, we also offer resources to help you through the journey. 

Find resources below on grief and bereavement as well as answers to common questions about anticipatory grief. 

Grief and bereavement resources

Grief and bereavement following a medically assisted death can be very similar to grief and bereavement following a natural death due to typical illness progression or age. How you feel will depend a lot on how you arrived at this moment, and will be unique to you.

Anticipatory Grief

  • What is anticipatory grief?

    Anticipatory grief is what people experience when they are anticipating the loss of their own life or that of a family member or friend.  

    The knowledge that a loved one is going to die can come as a shock and may produce feelings of denial or disbelief. We often try to convince ourselves that the people we love will be around forever and so the reality of death can be painful.  

    Grieving is an important step towards adapting to a life without this person. Emotions that you would expect to feel after the loved one dies may also be felt during anticipatory grief. These can include guilt, sadness, shock, denial, anger and loneliness.  

    The experience of anticipatory grief does not minimize the grief that is felt following the death. 

  • When a MAiD date has been chosen

    What is unique about MAiD, is that we know exactly when a person will die. Living in anticipation of an upcoming MAiD date can provide loved ones with more time to accept the reality of the situation and prepare for what is to come. This can be an opportunity to decide how to say goodbye and how to be present for the person who has chosen MAiD. 

  • When an eligible person has not chosen a date

    It can be challenging for the eligible person and their loved ones when no date has been chosen. Not knowing when the MAiD provision will happen can be unsettling for the eligible person and their loved ones. Often people don’t know how much they should talk about the potential assisted death, or they are concerned that their loved one will wait too long and miss the opportunity to have MAiD.

  • Coping with anticipatory grief

    Anticipatory grief can appear in different ways, and when we can understand there can be grief before a death, it can provide comfort and relief to both the eligible person and their loved ones. Anticipatory grief can also provide some opportunities for meaningful connection. Things like reminiscing together, looking at old photo albums, making some new memories, having intimate conversations, and sharing feelings and emotions can help.

Learn more

Find more information about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Find answers to frequently asked questions about MAiD.