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Grief and Loss

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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 patients loss; in other words, determining the significance of their loss (Yancey & Hunter, 2014). For example, two elderly persons whom have both lost their adult child in death may identify different aspects of that loss as significant. One may report missing the friendship and emotional support the relationship provided; the other may mention the loss of financial and physical support as

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