...Supporting the Older Adult to Cope with Grief and Loss Grief and loss are inevitable experiences that affect the older adult. Grief is defined as “the emotional response to a loss or death” (Yancey & Hunter, 2014, p. 449). As adults age their friends gradually die, they may outlive older generations of their family, health may deteriorate, and abilities and independence may diminish. The loss of loved ones, health, and independence, among many other losses, can give rise to grief in the older adult. Grief is a natural response to loss. While some can adjust to the conditions of loss in others it can intensify to the point where the individual is unable to cope with the loss (Gibson, 2012). The inability to cope with grief can yield undesirable effects such as: depression, anxiety, insomnia, increased use of alcohol or drugs, and decreased social interaction (Potocky, 1993). This is why it is necessary for the nurse to facilitate the grieving process. Jean Watson’s theory contains relevant concepts that nurses can incorporate into their care of the older adult experiencing grief. Nurses can fulfill their role in facilitating the grief process through the application of therapeutic communication techniques in the appraisal of grief, by preventing isolation through social support, and promoting hope as a coping strategy. The use of therapeutic communication techniques will aid the nurse in making a valid appraisal of the patient’s grief. This involves assessing the value of the...
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...The Affect of Developmental Factors on how a Five-Year-Old Child Copes with Loss Loss is an unavoidable experience for all children through the different developmental stages of life. These loses may be seen through a child losing or breaking a favourite toy, or through parents being divorced, moving houses, the loss of familiar routines, schools, or friends, and also through the death of someone close to them (Corr, Charles; Balk, David. 2010). Regardless of the type of loss experienced, it will bring sadness and grief upon the child, and the way a child deals with the loss is dependant on their cognitive and psychosocial development. There are many different theorists with varying ideas on the developmental stages of life. A five-year-old child, in Jean Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory is explained to be in the preoperational period (2 to 7 years). During this period, children develop symbolic thought marked by irreversibility, centration, and egocentrism (Gill, A., 2012). This means that children are unable to completely grasp concrete logic and are unable to take in the point of view of other people. Children also increase their use of symbols and therefore increase in playing, role-playing and pretending (Cherry, K. 2004). The psychosocial development theory by Erik Erikson, describes a five-year-old child being in the initiative versus guilt stage. In this stage, Children try to function socially with their family and with other individuals. Success in this leads...
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...Toronto, Ontario, Canada NORMA D’AGOSTINO Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Survivorship Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada DAVID B. NICHOLAS Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada GERALD SCHNEIDERMAN Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada The authors investigated longitudinally bereavement in mothers and fathers whose children died of cancer. Thirty-one parents were interviewed 6 and 18 months post-death. Analyses revealed parental differences and changes over time: (a) employment—fathers were more work-focused; (b) grief reactions—mothers expressed more intense grief reactions that lessened over time; (c) coping—mothers were more child-focused, fathers more task-focused; (d) relationship with bereaved siblings—mothers actively nurtured relationship with child; (e) spousal relationship—parents reported diversity in their relationship over time; and (f) relationship with extended family—mothers maintained contact with extended Received 14 August 2009; accepted 7 August 2010. We wish to acknowledge the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for funding this study. Address correspondence to Maru Barrera,...
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...While there is an impact of death on family members, there has been little research documenting the reactions and responses of our nurses. A Curtain of Protection Grief is defined as “keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; or painful regret“(Merriam-Webster,2014). Every person in the world has suffered from grief at one point or another in their life, whether it was caused by the loss of a loved one or another reason it has been felt by them. Different people express grief in different ways; it can often bring people together as well as divide them. This is the same for our nurses. One of the nursing functions of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse is providing care for terminally-ill patients and assists them towards a peaceful death. However, in helping those patients to approach a peaceful death in an intensive care unit, nurses deal with many difficulties such as communicating bad news, counseling the persons’ families, and facilitating a peaceful death when time is limited. ICU nurses frequently face patients’ death and endure not only stressful, physically tiring and culturally challenging but also psychologically and emotionally draining environment which lead them to experience grief. Caring for terminally-ill patients can cause tension, conflict, moral distress, grief, and suffering for critical care nurses that affect job satisfaction and lead nurses to feel burned out (De Castro, 2010)....
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...The complicated grief was also found to be associated with maladaptive behavior, functional impairment, increased depression and posttraumatic stress disorder; for example, finding it painful to recall memories of the deceased (Sandler et al. 2009). Factor analysis was used by Brown and Goodman (2005) to distinguish a dimension they called traumatic grief from normal grief in children of parents who were killed in September 11 in New York. They also found depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety symptoms and poorer coping responses associated to traumatic grief. Traumatic grief happens when the loss includes elements such as, suddenness and lack of anticipation; violence, mutilation, and destruction; preventability and/or randomness; multiple death and mourner’s personal encounter with death (Corr & Nabe,...
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...person involved in the loss knows what is significant to them. People commonly associate certain losses with strong feelings of grief. The solitude is always agonizing, especially for someone who has never lived alone. Many people lose their spouses each year. Because the modern society has few mourning rituals other than the memorial service, they may find themselves alone and disconsolate just when they are most in need of comfort. Different Kinds of Loss Loss of one’s partner can be due to various reasons including: • Death of a partner/Bereavement • Serious or dilapidating illness of a loved one If you—or your loved one—has become sick or injured, expect a number of physical, emotional and financial changes in your life. Coping with these changes can be very difficbrt, even overwhelming at times, but the following strategies may help: • Relationship breakup/Separation Relationship breakup. This involves losing a partner from a problematic relationship. Although it might seem easier to lose a partner when the relationship has been difficult or unsatisfying, the feelings of dissatisfaction can make the survivor vulnerable to guilt and second thoughts. When he/she remembers the best times of the relationship, self-blame can convince the individual that if he/she had done things differently, they could have had good times. The grief then can be colored easily by regret and guilt. If the survivor's friends and family are aware of the difficulties in the relationship...
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...person to person due to many different variables, but just as there are many ways death enters someone's life, there are just as many ways for people to overcome their own feelings of grief either in healthy, or unhealthy ways. Throughout history cultures and societies have had deep ritualistic ties to death. Universally religions tend to be very centered on the afterlife, and this faith tends to bring comfort to those who have recently lost a loved one. But does being associated to a religious group really reduce the depression and stress brought along with...
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...Grief counseling and children: Ambiguous loss and its effects on children: Implications and interventions for school counselors. By K. Guidy, C. Simpson, T.Test, and C. Bloomfield. Texas A &M University Commerce. * In addition to emotions, children experience physical responses to a loss such as exhaustion, insomnia, headache, stomachaches, and regressive behaviors. * Just like adults children process grief in different and unique ways, there is no right or wrong way to grieve. * Grief work is essential in order for the individual to become actively engaged in their own life again. * Children need adequate information, reassurance, routine, validation, active listening, and adult models to demonstrate mourning behaviors constructively and appropriately. * When a child losses someone in their family they are grieving the loss of the systemic role in the family, the loss of a relationship, loss of an emotional connection and the fear of possibly losing someone else in their family. * May have self-blame, confusion, fear, isolation, or alone * Faced to deal with the changes in their new family systems, adjusting to the remaining parents new way of life may be difficult * SC should build meaningful relationships with the student as well as validate, understand, listen, and normalize their loss when the child is comfortable enough to share with them * You need to meet children and families where they are, support them with patience, compassion...
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...Experiential Learning Essay Template Review this check list in prior to submitting your experiential learning essay. If you have completed all of the items listed below, you are ready to submit your essay. Keep in mind, your evaluator may still request additional material, however, the list below will guide in your essay submission preparations. Not adhering to these guidelines will cause a delay in processing. ** Review each of the items below and check if you have completed each of them: 1. I have selected an approved essay topic from the essay course descriptions page. http://www.phoenix.edu/admissions/prior_learning_assessment/experiential-essays/essay-topics.html 2. Some essays have specific experience requirements. I have checked the essay description and I meet all of the experience requirements listed. 3. I have written and included a 1,500 to 2,100 word autobiography; autobiography is only required with first Experiential Learning Essay, subsequent essays do not require additional autobiographies. 4. I have written an experiential essay: 3,000 to 4,500 words for 3 credit essay 5. My essay is written in first person (1st) without references. 6. I have written to all four (4) areas of Kolb’s model of learning. 7. I have addressed all of the required subtopics in each of the four areas of Kolb’s model of learning. 8. I have included supporting documentation that validates my personal/professional experience with the essay course description/topic. 9. My essay is based...
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...family members, caused by Mrs. Christine Ward’s diagnosis and prognosis. It is unimaginable thought, in what extent Mrs. Ward’s family will be affected finding out that their mother, grandmother and wife is dying. In this scenario, our patient — Christine is someone who is greatly involved in her family’s lives and she appears to be their main support throughout their everyday activities. Considering that Christine’s prognosis is 3-6 months, it is possible that various scenarios can suddenly begin to arise within the family. For example, her son and future daughter-in-law Mei, might decide to push their wedding day forward, in order to have Christine present at the event, or the opposite, they may want to postpone their wedding, as result of grief and depression, being unable to cope through the hard times. Connie may delay her university and netball in order to care and spend more time with her mother, Megan is already struggling at school and her mother’s diagnosis could make things worse. However, the palliative care nurse will have to advocate for her patient for any situation likely to become an issue or stressor for Christine’s peaceful journey, because she may continuously worry for her family. It may be the case where Christina cannot accept her situation, or may become obsessed with finishing off the things she started, such as helping her son’s wedding. This is only one of many possible scenarios that can occur upon the family, finding out that their loving mother is terminally...
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...Adoption Research Writing Introduction Growing up there is one point in time when all children wish they had different parents or wished they could be adopted by adults who are “cool, understandable, and rich” because out parents seemed to always find a way to ruin our lives. Unfortunately this is no wish for some children, being adopted by strangers is some children’s reality. Adoption is viewed as a lifetime commitment to raise babies or children who are not biologically yours into the best person they can be. People who adopt get that great sense of satisfaction that they reached out and changed a person’s life. Even though the adopters get that great sense of satisfaction, no one stops to think about the hurt and negative emotions that the adoptee may feel in regards to their adoption. Adoption can have a harmful negative reaction impact on the adoptees as they go through their journey of life. I believe that even though there are negative emotions that come with adoption there are some solutions such as therapy to cope with the emotions. Review of the Literature The emotional effect adoption can have on a child is a problem in society today. Researchers show there are different aspects of adoption people need to understand and different ways to cope with adoptees and the emotional hurt they feel. The following researchers discuss different emotional effects adoption can have on adopted children. Child Welfare Information Gateway (CWIG) (2004) is a service...
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...again. Carley, age three, has slept in her own bed ever since she was two years old. Now, since the death of her father a year ago, she not only wets the bed, but also tries to consistently sleep in the room with her mother. Jacob is five years old. He constantly plays like he is going on a trip to visit his Uncle Sam in heaven. These three children are different ages and have lost different role models in their lives, but they share one thing in common. All three are experiencing the grieving process. The grieving process in children differs very much from the grieving process of an adult. This must be taken into consideration by Early Childhood Educators when teaching children how to cope with this grieving process, as it is an Early Childhood Educator’s role to ensure that all children develop healthy emotional and social habits (Clarissa A., 2002) . To develop these healthy habits, it is essential that Early Childhood Educators know how a child’s concept of death is constructed, which gives caregivers and educators important information and helps them respond more sensitively to what children might feel and experience (Clarissa A., 2002). The online journal article, called “The Grieving Process in Children: Strategies for Understanding, Educating, and Reconciling Children's Perceptions of Death” (Clarissa A., 2002), clearly gives an overview of how children understand death, and suggestions for educators about how to help children through grief and loss. The website...
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...passing of a family member, friend or pet. Bereavement has many stages and is handled differently at different points of time within our development stage. A young child will experience this passing differently than an elderly person. What differentiates the process are the skill sets that each individual has in their “toolbox”. I will be addressing these coping skills and developmental milestones in several grouped categories to show the differences and the similarities amongst the different age groups. Children 3-5 years old A child in this age category is focused primarily on his/herself. They have difficulty seeing the world from someone else’s point of view. This is called being egocentric. With this in mind, when faced with the death of someone close to them, they feel that they are the cause of the death. Emotions at this stage of development can vary from sadness, anger, anxiety and guilt. If the death was the result of a disaster or crisis, the child may feel abandoned and their participation in age-appropriate activities may be interrupted. Children 6-12 years old Children at this stage are learning basic skills and they are also in the process of attaching their cultural values to it. When faced with a death, the child in this age group may not want to leave home and in doing so, he/she hopes to reassure the safety of others in the family. The grief...
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...and Losses in Children * The death of a parent is one of the most difficult events a child might face. * It prematurely exposes the child to the unpredictability of life and the tenuous nature of daily existence. * Children loosing something or someone can significantly change his or her lives. * Helping children understand the dying process will enable one to understand the grieving process. * If children cannot understand the grieving process, it can alter their lives and create unhealthy habits into adulthood. (Bushardt, Reamer & Taylor, 2011). Loss and Grief * Grief is a natural reaction to loss and is ongoing for children developmental process. * Children reacts to grief is different and may be influenced by many factors. * Children s’ perceptions of death reflects on their understanding and maturity. * Children’s maturity depends on their age, cognitive ability, and their existing experiences with life. * Children responding to death are strongly influenced by socialization and their understanding and the maturity level of that individual child. (Heath, Leavy, Hansen, Ryan, Lawrence, & Sonntag, 2008). Issues Facing Families * Teachers and family care providers, family members and counselors can create an environment that supports the children emotional needs. * When educators create that environment with empathy and emotional support allow the children to learn more about themselves and have better understanding...
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...Crisis Paper Casie Yu MCPHS University Patient Background Sammy is 27 year old, female patient who came into the hospital for opiates withdrawal/dependence. Sammy is white American and has been baptized but doesn’t attend to church regularly. She is admitted to the hospital for a detox for opiate dependence. Patient states that she currently uses “two bundles of heroin per day through shooting up for the past month. I also shoot up $20 of cocaine for the past month and I smoke marijuana once per week for the last three years”. Sammy has started using three years ago. Sammy also smokes tobacco about one pack per day for about ten years. Three years ago, Sammy got in a serious car accident that hospitalized her. The medical complications that followed up with the car accident is diagnosed with having reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the lower limbs and had a spinal cord stimulator implanted. The first surgery was faulty because the implanted battery wasn’t working. During the second surgery, the wiring of the batteries was wrong and the stimulator was stimulating the wrong leg. Sammy went back the third time and finally, the stimulator was working where it is suppose to be. Although the stimulator was working and suppose to help sooth the pain, Sammy still could not bear the pain. Due to the reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the lower limbs after the car accident, Sammy stated that she could not stand for long periods of times and she cannot lift more than twenty to...
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