Crisis intervention

Collapsed after death: “Everyone reacts differently”

The crisis intervention staff take care of the bereaved.

(Bild: Rotes Kreuz OÖ)

In exceptional situations, the Red Cross crisis intervention team offers its help and tries to "restore the ability of relatives to act". However, the behavior of those affected is never the same, so the helpers have to react quickly and flexibly.

An unusual operation caused quite a stir on Tuesday evening in Waldeggstraße above Linz railroad station. As reported, three relatives collapsed out of grief following the natural death of a woman. For Silvana Breuer-Kuntner, organizational head of the Crisis Intervention Team and Stress Management at the Red Cross Upper Austria, this is not an unusual reaction: "Our employees are prepared for this, and we also look at this in our training."

Alerted according to indication list
The crisis intervention volunteers are called out to particularly tragic cases according to a list of indications. These include sudden deaths (whether accidental or natural), missing persons, suicide or attempted suicide, serious accidents or the death of children and when the entire basis of life suddenly collapses - for example due to a fire.

Regaining the ability to act
"The aim is to restore the relatives' ability to act. However, everyone reacts differently. Some feel the need to cry, scream or withdraw. Every family also reacts differently in their family system, and they often make it up to themselves in their small circle," says Breuer-Kuntner.

Every family is set up differently in their family system. Sometimes they work it out among themselves in a small circle.

Silvana Breuer-Kuntner, Kriseninterventionsteam beim Roten Kreuz OÖ

The crisis intervention service is a one-off service. "Our interventions usually last between three and four hours," says the expert. If you need further help afterwards, you will be referred to the crisis support service (0732/2177), which is available 24 hours a day