Virtual Grief Counsellors
The journey through the grieving process is often considered a private and personal experience, and online grief therapy is becoming a more popular method for people who may be feeling isolated and low. Virtual grief counsellors are trained and experienced in grief management and provide online therapy for those in need. Bill Webster is an example of an emerging and popular virtual grief counsellor whose online bereavement portal offers support for its members when they have suffered a loss. The portal is divided into a variety of steps designed to focus on coping with personal loss from both a practical and emotional perspective. His website hosts a combination of multimedia including YouTube videos, articles, eBooks, bereavement DVDs, and virtual bereavement guides, all focused on helping people cope and move on from their grief. Although there are links offering users the chance to access Bill Webster’s social media, the website offers no social networking function for its users to interact.
Griefjourneycom. 2018. Griefjourneycom. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://www.griefjourney.com/griefsolutions/gj-jonathanterry.h
Funeral Zone is considered to be the United Kingdom’s online comprehensive funeral resource, offering people the ability to compare and contrast funeral directors, read and write reviews, and gain assistance with both arranging the funeral and managing the estate. Likewise, this website hosts external links to local counselling services and advice with gaining financial assistance. There is also a function enabling users to create their own virtual funeral wishes, which can be downloaded in a certificate layout, or be used to write online obituaries. Funeral Zone also has in interactive blog function, which enables users to post and discuss important aspects of the grieving process. Funeral Zone works in unison with local funeral directors and was essentially created as a one stop shop for the bereaved, providing a central resource for its users to find all the information they need, before, during and after the funeral.
Funeralzonecouk. 2018. Funeralzonecouk. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.funeralzone.co.uk
Focuses on transforming access to bereavement care by enabling its users to connect directly with trained bereavement counsellors through a live chat service that can be hosted on any website. The service was initially developed because many organisations and businesses wanted to provide better care for the bereaved but did not have the skills or resources to provide the support or counselling themselves. However, today’s emerging technologies have meant that this problem can be solved, if grief support is made available to any organisation that wants to provide it.
The application features include access to a real time online chat service, which provides access to qualified and experienced bereavement counsellors, as well as advice, support, reassurance, and information about grief and how bereavement can impact individuals and families. There is also prominent signposting to online print information about bereavement and local bereavement care services within the UK. It provides an immediate and satisfactory response for users and a better customer engagement experience. It is highly accessible from desktop and mobile devices and can be completely anonymous. The progressive hope for the application is that funeral directors and bereavement charities will be among the organisations that will make Grief Chat available on their websites.
Professionalhelporguk. 2018. Professional Help. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.professionalhelp.org.uk/grief-chat/
This application was created by a group of bereaved young people who were working directly with Child Bereavement UK. It was developed specifically for 11-25-year olds who have suffered the loss of somebody close to them. Additionally, it is designed to be used by friends, teachers, parents, and professionals, who would like to know more about the best way to support bereaved young people. The application also has specific information about bereavement, grief, and services that are available to help people cope. Moreover, the application includes a built-in notepad, so the user can write down how they are feeling, as well as short stories and films that other users have written and made.
Childbereavementukorg. 2018. Child Bereavement UK. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://childbereavementuk.org/our-app/
Is a mobile grief application for young people that give virtual hugs and provides a safe community for users to share thoughts, memories, and grief tips. The primary focus of the application is to help children and young people who have experienced the death of someone who is close to them. Its main functions include being able to post memories, pictures, and words about the users loved ones. There is also the ability to view other posts, discover thoughts and ideas on how to deal with grief, and follow links to safe forums and charities that offer further help and support.
Appsforgoodorg. 2018. Appsforgoodorg. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.appsforgood.org/public/student-apps/2016/lilies
A mobile gaming application developed specifically to provide children with strength and resilience when someone has passed away or is dying. It is set in a colourful virtual world; the application was developed to allow children to curate memories of their loved ones in an appealing way. Upon opening the app, its users are introduced to a peaceful island that is theirs to explore, as they discover various parts of the island, the users can undertake quests and puzzles, that will have been especially created to help children process their emotions and also help adult carers to begin difficult conversations and support them in dealing with their grief.
Bounce works. 2018. Bounce Works. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://bounce.works/apartofme/
Is an application that is targeted at children aged between 4 and 12 and is focused on telling the story of a dinosaur whose sister has died. The interactive story journeys through the various stages of the grieving process, in order to help children, overcome their loss, and help families to support each other. The mobile application invites children to answer death related questions in a friendly and creative way. The activities encourage singing, drawing, inventing, speaking, thinking, and listening, as a means of better understanding the death of a family member.
Wdccapetown2014com. 2018. Wdccapetown2014com. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://www.wdccapetown2014.com/projects/project/246
Is an application that is designed to assist and comfort its users, to aid them through the darkest hours of their grief. Its primary functions include virtual self-help guides focused on the various stages of mourning, poems of comfort, and bible verses dedicated to eternal life and resurrection.
Help for the grieving. 2016. Help for the Grieving. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.itakeoffthemask.grief&h=en
Is a social network for the bereaved in which people can connect privately, chat, and support each other. It is specifically designed for people aged 18 and above and works by putting people in touch with others who have lost someone. When users sign up, they get a 2-week free subscription and can then create a private profile by answering questions relating to their loss. They can then connect to people on a one to one basis through the applications texting service. The private information of the user is never seen publicly, and chats will always remain private and secure. There is also the opportunity for the user to use additional filters to narrow connections by age, gender, religion, time frame, as well as type and cause of loss.
Winnonapartnerscom. 2018. Winnona Partners. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://winnonapartners.com/2018/01/10/goodgrief-app-the-social-network-for-loss/
Is an application developed by Nelson’s Journey, a charity based in Norfolk and funded by BBC Children in Need. They support children and young people aged between 0 and 17 years who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. Their award-winning Youth Panel identified a need for a Smartphone application, which would help support children and young people in their grief. It provides an interactive tool to record memories, send gifts, and write their thoughts, feelings and emotions. In addition to hosting interactive tools, Nelson’s journey has also provided tips on how to manage emotions including anger, confusion, guilt, and loneliness, which are all common when someone has suffered a bereavement.
Nelsonsjourneyorguk. 2018. Nelsonsjourneyorguk. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://www.nelsonsjourney.org.uk/young-people/
Is an application created to help people with the responsibility of planning a funeral. This tailormade funeral planner will take its users through every important detail right from setting a budget, to making a reservation, and receiving emotional support. Funeral customs can be overwhelming; thus, the purpose of the funeral planning app is to allow users to take the process one step at a time and keep track of all there to do’s. The funeral checklist application comes with the ability to organise over 250 tasks, in 15 different categories, allowing you the option to add new tasks, categories and check/uncheck them as you go.
Administrator. 2018. Funeralhelperorg. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://funeralhelper.org/popular-when-i-have-fears-noel-coward/46.html
Is an application designed to aid people when arranging their funeral plans, so that arrangements can be made before the person in question passes away. This function can help family members know what the deceased persons arrangements and wishes were. The application is set out like a short questionnaire, and the company will analyse the answers provided and email the funeral plan back to the user in a Pdf format. This free funeral plan allows the user to dictate the precise format of the funeral, which eliminates any uncertainty and indecision amongst family members at a stressful and emotional time. The main categories within the application focus on the dress code, the songs and hymns to be played, whether or not it is a traditional or modern ceremony, the type of coffin, floral arrangements and preferred readings. The ultimate aim of this 
application is to gain the peace of mind that comes with having your funeral preferences confirmed and officially recorded.
Freefuneralplanuk. 2018. Freefuneralplanuk. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://freefuneralplan.uk/
Anderson Funeral Home Application
Is an example of an application used by many funeral directors specifically in the United States. The Anderson Funeral Home, is an independent funeral company that has a long history of serving communities in Iowa and helping families to plan dignified and compassionate funeral services. In a similar vein to many companies, they have developed a mobile app to further assist with these arrangements, allowing families to access areas of their service, directly from the app. The key features of their application, is a to-do list which aids families in keeping track of the funeral arrangements. An advice section to provide additional guidance in a place that is convenient for the grieving family. Equally, there is a contact page to help users locate the funeral home, using GPS navigation and access all important contact details.
Anderson-funeralhome. 2018. Anderson Funeral Home. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: http://www.anderson-funeral.com/
The Co-operative Funeral Care Heart of England
Is an application that has been developed to further meet the needs of the co-operatives clients, families, and friends in this modern digital age. It is an attempt to further provide their clients and their loved ones with the best possible level of care and service during a difficult time. Through this application, users can access advice on what to do following a bereavement, you can view online brochure and guides relating to funerals. Additionally, you can view the funeral details, which include the day, time, location and utilise a route planner for any of the funerals. Other ground-breaking developments include the ability for users to make a donation to the charity chosen by the client’s family.
Co-operativefuneralcarecouk. 2018. Co-operativefuneralcarecouk. [Online]. [28 April 2018]. Available from: https://www.co-operativefuneralcare.co.uk/globalassets/after-the-funeral/death_in_the_digital_age_media_report_low_res.pdf
The Story of Us
Upon reviewing the existing applications, it is clear that a gap in the market has emerged, in which we hope The Story of Us will be able to fill. Although there are many applications available that focus on helping the bereaved cope with their loss, these platforms do not focus specifically on social networking, which is the primary focus of our application. The title of The Story of Us really has two connotations- it is the story of the user and the one they have lost, and it is equally the story of the new connections and relationships that our users will make during their grief journey. Primarily, this platform will focus on building a networked community, for people who are at various stages of the grieving process. A service like this could be particularly helpful during specific points of the year such as Christmas, Birthdays, and Anniversaries and could also be appealing to those who may be feeling isolated and are suffering who cannot afford professional counselling services.
In contrast to the existing applications that have been reviewed, the prominent function of The Story of Us will be an online chat forum which will take the visualisation of a news feed; a real-time service of updates that convey what users are doing at that current point in time, essentially a living newspaper of the connections surrounding our users. Unlike the other applications reviewed and in order to prevent trolling The Story of Us will be moderated by the original team, as well as a trained grief counsellor. There will also be a live chat function, should anyone seek assistance, someone will be on hand to answer their queries, and funeral directors and local funeral business will have the choice of whether or not to connect to this. In addition to the newsfeed layout, there will also be the option for our users to make their own profiles, make friends and private message if that is something they wish to do. Although it will be made clear in our terms and conditions that we will be able to monitor any private messages, although their will be the option for any users to report inappropriate behaviour.
