Death and grief literacy in the context of loneliness: Insights from an international symposium

Death and grief literacy are increasingly recognised as crucial public health resources for responding to serious illness, dying, death, and bereavement. This critical essay summarises key discussions from a three-day international symposium, “Fostering Connection in Existential Phases of Life: How Do We Enhance Death and Grief Literacy?” (July 2025), which brought together experts from palliative care, caring communities, LGBTQ+ advocacy, migration studies, social work, volunteering, and psychosocial support. The symposium did not include members of the general public but focused on academic, clinical, and practice-based expertise. The symposium explored how enhancing death and grief literacy can improve individual and collective responses to loneliness, particularly among marginalised and vulnerable populations who are at higher risk of experiencing loneliness and poorer outcomes in the context of serious illness, dying, and bereavement, and foster deeper connections during life’s existential phases. Discussions addressed the relational, communal, and practical dimensions of death and grief literacy; the entanglement of loneliness and desire to die in severe illness; experiences of grief-related loneliness; and the potential of compassionate communities. Outcomes included concrete recommendations for policy, practice, and education, emphasising community-based support, cultural humility, public engagement, and the integration of death and grief literacy into curricula across multiple educational and professional settings, including school curricula, university education, and relevant workplace training programmes. Overall, we argue that strengthening death and grief literacy can shift societies from pathologising loneliness towards shared responsibility, solidarity, and compassionate care at the end of life and during bereavement.