...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...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...According to Life Span Development A Topical Approach by Robert S. Feldman, grief is defined as the emotional response to one’s loss. Bereavement is defined as the acknowledgement of the objective fact that one has experienced a death. I really did not like the textbook’s definition of bereavement so I decided to look up the definition on dictionary.com and on that website it is defined as a period of mourning after a loss, especially after the death of a loved one. Grief and Bereavement can be dealt with in different ways. What I would like to talk about is differentiating unhealthy grief and normal grief, my experience with grief and bereavement with the loss of my aunt and my uncle, the ways people can deal with grief and bereavement, and how to overcome them....
Words: 834 - Pages: 4
...client’s characteristics that affect therapy outcome. Psychotherapy and Older Adults Resource Guide Introduction Since about 1990, changes in the Medicare reimbursement system have allowed psychologists to provide services to older adults with Medicare coverage. These changes, in combination with managed care and market place changes have made older adult clients attractive as a client population to increasing numbers of psychologists and other mental health service providers. As the Baby Boomers become older adults over the next several years, one can expect both the need and the demand for mental health services to increase: Need is likely to change because Boomers have higher prevalence of depression and other mental disorders than do the GI Generation and Depression era cohorts; Demand may change because Boomers have typically been psychologically minded and relatively high consumers of mental health services. Key questions in thinking about working with older adults concern whether psychological interventions can be expected to work with older adults. If they work, are adaptations from work with younger adults necessary? In this resource page, research bearing on both of these questions is summarized. Does therapy work with older adults? Before turning to psychological interventions, which are the main focus of this resource guide, it should be noted that psychological assessment with older adults is more specialized than are interventions. The higher prevalence of the...
Words: 1558 - Pages: 7
...other Healthcare providers need to assist and support individuals and families in many different situations. Nurses who encounter an expected death or an unexpected death of a patient need to be aware of proper care for an individual or family who is bereaved. The individual or family involved may grieve differently depending on the nature of the loss and the grieving person’s needs, which can be challenging for the Nurse. “Caring for people whose relatives have died suddenly and unexpectedly is one of the most difficult and challenging events to which healthcare professionals must respond” (Purves & Edwards, 2005) and “The healthcare team’s response to bereavement can play a valuable role in the recovery process, and they need to...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...In America the rates of suicide among the elderly aged 65 and older has continued to increase. Unassisted suicide is defined as a decision that is usually made in isolation by an individual who is often suffering from depression. Suicide has been prevalent throughout history. There are up to nine references about suicide in the Old Testament. The risks and the number of suicides increase more among the elderly aged 85 and older. The majority of the incidences occur due to the mental health issues of the individual. An obstacle faced by mental health professionals in reaching this group is that older adults usually prefer not to seek treatment for their mental health problems. The elderly are the fastest growing portion of the population,...
Words: 1876 - Pages: 8
...Parental Grief Also, sometimes a parent's love makes them unable to let go. I've seen so many parents put their needs above their infant's because they just can't bear to suffer the grief of losing a child. It's heartbreaking when you can see parents in total denial and you know that the end will come one way or another but they just can't accept it. I don't know if that's the case here or not, but it's certainly a possibility. Parental Grief The theme of parental mourning has been a universal one throughout the centuries. In the literature on bereavement, writers repeat certain themes, thoughts, and reflections; they talk of the powerful and often conflicting emotions involved in "the pain of grief and the spiral of mourning; [they refer to] the heartbreak at the heart of things...grief's contradictions"; they speak of parents devastated by grief (Moffat 1992, xxiii). It is frequently said that the grief of bereaved parents is the most intense grief known. When a child dies, parents feel that a part of them has died, that a vital and core part of them has been ripped away. Bereaved parents indeed do feel that the death of their child is "the ultimate deprivation" (Arnold and Gemma 1994, 40). The grief caused by their child's death is not only painful but profoundly disorienting-children are not supposed to die. These parents are forced to confront an extremely painful and stressful paradox; they are faced with a situation in which they must deal both with the grief caused...
Words: 14595 - Pages: 59
...the people most directly affected will suffer detrimental effects on their physical and/or mental health (Jacobs 1993). What is Grief and it’s Stages Grief refers to the psychological reaction to the bereavement, the death of a loved one. When a person dies who has been a close companion and with whom we have had a close bond with, many changes in our life have to be taken in. Death of a long-term partner can force on us a need to redefine ourselves and it is not an easy task. Grief becomes a problem when someone gets stuck in grief, this is know as “complicated grief” or “chronic grief”. Factors that contribute to this include a lack of family support and remaining overly focused on past memories. Returning to normal everyday activities is the most obvious sign that the grieving stage is over. Grieving becomes problematic when it lasts longer than six months. Signs of this include loneliness, emptiness, regret, not acknowledging the death, and avoiding places that would be reminders of the deceased person. It is only problematic if these symptoms are excessive and interfere with normal everyday life. Grief is not an illness and usually does not require medication or treatment. Grief is a normal response, so it isn’t necessarily desirable to eliminate grief even though it is a normal emotional adjustment. There are a few stages of grief and it all begins with numbness, which takes place immediately after the death, and this phase can last for hours and...
Words: 1843 - Pages: 8
...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...
Words: 1352 - Pages: 6
...Erikson- last three stages: Intimacy vs iso: close reciprocal connection. Not self-absorb. Emerging adult to lifelong iso..Divorce or death disruption.. Generativity vs stag: care for next generation. Raising own children or mentoring. Integrity vs despair: Erikson was 70 and decided on integrity. Personal journey from a person’s entire life in connection with society is the ultimate goal. Generativity: productive stage (7th). Art, care giving, employment. Caregiving: Kinkeeper: takes responsibility for maintaining communication among family. Sandwich Generation: middle aged adults squeezed by the needs of younger and older members of the family. Intimacy: connect with others; social convoy-family, friends, strangers who move through life with a person. Protective layer of social relation. Affects relationships with siblings and spouses. Integration of death and the acceptance of death. Maslow- top to bottom: 5.Self Actualization: need to live into someone’s full potential. Aesthetic, creative, and spiritual understanding. 4. Esteem: achievement, competence, respect from others. 3. Love and belonging: need to be loved, belong and acceptance. 2. Safety: Feel safe/secure.1. Physiological: need food, drink, shelter. Mid Life Crisis: 35-50yrs. Mostly men. Reflect back and evaluate life. Radical self-examination and transformation. Levinson study. The age 40 crucible-Gail Sheehy 1976. Characteristics of Personality: (O.C.E.A.N): “The Big Five” Openness- imaginative, artistic...
Words: 1409 - Pages: 6
...implications. It may have effect on the mental stability as well as create even more conflict and tension between others. Research evidence has shown that marital distress and conflict within a marriage causes a wide range of negative effects on the children of the feuding spouses. Many of the effects upon the children include depression, isolations, social inadequacy, mental health issues and academic status decreases. In my opinion no matter how old a child is, the divorce of his or her parents is a highly stressful event. Therefore I do believe it has a lasting effect on the children involved. Many children are not sufficiently prepared for the upcoming split of their parents. The children in these situations have very little support from adult outside the family during the worst part of the divorce. The pain that children feel in divorce comes from a number of sources. As their family falls apart, I believe children begin to feel vulnerable. The loss of the family unit will cause the children to...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...disabilities are two of the man categories that experience discrimination and negligence of human rights. These two groups experience issues in society, and difficulty living quality lives. Legislative acts have been enacted to help to eliminate these issues. Finance, health, loneliness are three issues faced by the aging population. Many seniors do not work. After retirement, many of these adults have difficulty maintaining income. Many of these adults receive Social Security income, and for many, that is their only source of income. Quality of health care decreases for many seniors. Costs of health care increase and are unaffordable for these people. Many elders are also prescribed a variety of medicine for very similar ailments, which lead to additional health problems. Older people are at higher risk for psychological disorders. They are at a great risk for depression and mental illness. Poverty affects the aging population in a very negative way. Poverty amongst the aging population decreases opportunities for elders to live quality lives. Poverty affects the everyday lives of older people. It limits the amount of things they can do on a daily basis and makes it very difficult to enjoy their lives. Many seniors aren’t able to keep up with the costs of health care, housing, insurance, medicine and a multitude of every day necessities. Historically, people with disabilities have experience great separation and exclusion from the world. They have endured discrimination...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
... Bereavement is the condition of having being deprived of something or someone valued, especially through death. The individual feels yearning, pining and longing for the one who has died. The bereaved feels empty inside. It can greatly impact the way in which a person deals with events in later stages of life. We also call it grief. One of the biggest reasons of grief in humans is the loss of loved ones. The grief can have multifaceted effects on physical, psychological and social behavior of the people. When grief overpowers an individual, he can be adversely affected in various ways. If an individual hears the news of loss of loved ones, this shock causes the adrenal system to release adrenaline steroids in body causing a variety of physical reactions. It can cause physical ailments, nausea, dizziness and vomiting. There is a sudden increase in the blood pressure and stress levels due to the inflammation responses of cytokines. It has also been observed by the scientists that insomnia due to narcolepsy is one of the main physical impacts of bereavement. On the psychological front, it has been shown by the studies that due to sadness and grief, an...
Words: 3059 - Pages: 13
...STUDY GUIDE for C475 Care of Older Adult Objective Assessment Exam questions are taken from the Learning Objectives under the 9 Competencies: #1 Competency 742.1.1: Compassionate and Respectful Care of Older Adults The graduate integrates principles of compassion and respect for patients and their families into the planning and delivery of care to a diverse population of older adults and into advocacy for vulnerable older adults. This topic addresses the following learning objectives: * Recognize the impact of attitudes, values, and expectations about aging. * Describe how the RN’s personal beliefs and values may impact the care of older adults. * Articulate the concept of individualized care as the standard of practice with older adults, considering the right care, at the right time, in the right place and by the right provider of care. * Define Baby Boomers * What are the five racial groups listed in your text? * How would you perform discharge teaching to an Hispanic patient * Apply effective and respectful communication strategies in the care of older adults and their families. * List some of the changes of aging that could affect therapeutic communication * Note the ways to communicate or assist a patient with disabilities such as hearing deficits, vision impairments, or aphasia and dysarthria. Be familiar with the types of hearing devices. How should you address the older adult during therapeutic communication? ...
Words: 3902 - Pages: 16
...GUIDE for C475 Care of Older Adult Objective Assessment Exam questions are taken from the Learning Objectives under the 9 Competencies: #1 Competency 742.1.1: Compassionate and Respectful Care of Older Adults The graduate integrates principles of compassion and respect for patients and their families into the planning and delivery of care to a diverse population of older adults and into advocacy for vulnerable older adults. This topic addresses the following learning objectives: * Recognize the impact of attitudes, values, and expectations about aging. * Describe how the RN’s personal beliefs and values may impact the care of older adults. * Articulate the concept of individualized care as the standard of practice with older adults, considering the right care, at the right time, in the right place and by the right provider of care. * Define Baby Boomers (those born from 1946–1964) reach retirement age (as of 2011) A large group of people born between 1946 and 1964, in the time after the Second World War. * What are the five racial groups listed in your text? African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Asian, Hispanic, White * How would you perform discharge teaching to an Hispanic patient Teach the family as well because more than likely, pt is going home and family is his/her primary caregivers. * Apply effective and respectful communication strategies in the care of older adults and their families...
Words: 4068 - Pages: 17
...Adoption: The Negative Emotional Impact of 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...
Words: 3731 - Pages: 15
