Bereavement
An older person may grieve due to a decline in physical, mental or cognitive health. It is also important to acknowledge that a client’s family members might start to grieve before their death. Healthdirect has a webpage on understanding anticipatory grief. CareSearch provides an overview about abnormal grief. The Agency for Clinical Innovation has an educational video on bereavement. palliAGED offers a variety of resources to learn more about grief, loss and bereavement. There are links to a guide for assessing bereavement and support, and a tool to distinguish between depression and grief.
What is Prolonged Grief Disorder?
“Intense and persistent symptoms of distress following the death of a family member or friend. Significant mental and physical health problems may be present, for example, insomnia, depression, cardiac problems, substance misuse, cancer, suicide, depressed immune function and work and social impairment. Also known as complicated grief.”3(p37)
ELDAC Toolkit Educational Video
Watch the ELDAC After Death Care and Bereavement educational video will help you to acknowledging grief and loss; providing space and time for family/carers to ‘be’ with their loved one and recognising potentially complicated bereavement.