Difficult times in a foreign country

Death, bereavement and grief are hard enough to face when one is in familiar surroundings. Such a shock and the ensuing processes – both practical and emotional – can be especially hard when in a new country and culture. A friend of our community, Deby, faced the sudden death of her husband Michael at their Portugal home and is now committed to helping others avoid what she considers to be the unnecessary pain and suffering that can come from cultural differences and the insensitivity of local protocol.

Born of personal experience and insight, her project – Share and Care Portugal – is now available to help and support anyone facing the immediate practicalities and subsequent grief process, which are of course individual and unique. Her aim, along with a team of variously-skilled expert volunteers, is in the first instance to freely give practical advice and information, as well as signposting to English-speaking solicitors.

“It is an emotive subject but we want to help others in the event of death occurring here in Portugal,” she told The Portugal Resident newspaper. “Sadly, people find themselves in this situation and do not know what to do, and obviously you are still dealing with the grief.”

“If I had had someone to talk to and express myself during my grief cycle then I would not have felt so alone,” adds Deby who wants Share and Care to be someone you can rely on during this difficult time, whether you just need to talk, or get access to deeper grief counselling. The service is accessible to anybody that has settled here in Portugal or is on holiday, and has found themselves in this awful situation.