Dr Rachel Clarke, a palliative care specialist, on the BBC Today Programme on March 27 emphasised the importance of the psychological aspects of facing the end of one’s life.

The BBC reports that Palliative care doctors are urging people to have a conversation about what they would want if they, or their loved ones, became seriously unwell with coronavirus.

Specific help – The limits of help – Look after yourself – In bereavement – it is different for everyone – It is a long up and down process - Does anything help? – Keep on remembering – Prayers which may be helpful .

Drawing on our experiences, we provide examples of what needs to be done and where help can be found to deal with the challenges and pain of facing up to death and dying – of relatives, friends, colleagues of all ages, and not least ourselves.

At the time of death. Obtaining a Medical Certificate. Registering a Death. Lasting Power of Attorney. Making a Will. Planning a Funeral. The funeral service. Other funeral arrangements. Funerals in other religious communities.

When we are either facing our own mortality or alongside someone who is possibly close to death, our hearts cry out to God, perhaps yearning for miraculous intervention, yet so often the illness progresses before our watering eyes. This chapter addresses this dilemma, shows how ‘healing’ involves rather more than a physical cure and suggests ways of praying for and trusting in the transforming presence of Jesus.