Supporting Seniors Through the Stages of Grief and Loss
Grief is an inevitable part of the human experience, and for seniors, losses can accumulate with particular intensity. This is because older people often deal with more than one loss at a time, such as the death of a spouse, close friends, their independence, or their physical ability. Quality elder care providers understand that helping seniors deal with their grief requires empathy, knowledge, and personalized care at every step along the way.
Understanding Grief in Seniors
There are several ways to lose things as you become older. In addition to losing a loved one, seniors may also mourn the loss of a friend, the decline of their mental or physical capacities, or the demise of long-held roles and identities. Elder care providers recognize that every loss should be acknowledged and that grieving doesn’t always follow an organized, step-by-step process. As a result, they ensure seniors feel comfortable enough to talk about their feelings, knowing they won’t be judged.
Helping with Denial and Initial Shock
Many seniors go through denial or emotional numbness when they first lose someone. During this time of vulnerability, elder care workers offer gentle, steady help. Caregivers stick to routines that are familiar to the senior, which helps keep things stable. They also look for signs that the senior needs more emotional support and any denial that may occur, as seniors might use it to protect themselves rather than deal with the loss.
Dealing with Anger and Frustration
Anger typically comes out as reality sinks in. Seniors may express frustration toward caregivers, family members, medical professionals, or themselves. Elder care professionals not only know how to respond with understanding and patience, but they can help family members respond in the same way, rather than taking the behavior personally.
They also respect the seniors’ feelings while keeping appropriate boundaries, and they encourage the seniors to deal with challenging emotions in healthy ways through activities like journaling, art therapy, or physical exercise that are appropriate for their level of ability.
Guilt and Bargaining
During the bargaining stage, seniors may think of “what if” situations or feel very guilty about the choices they made in the past. Elder care providers listen with compassion and, when appropriate, encourage seniors to talk to spiritual advisors or counselors. They also promote positive self-talk and work with seniors to help them understand that guilt is a normal part of the grieving process.
Dealing with Depression and Deep Sadness
One of the hardest parts of loss is dealing with depression. To fight this issue, elder care providers can help seniors keep in contact with friends, recommend support groups, and make sure they stay busy with things that are important to them. Small things like eating together or talking about happy memories can also help during difficult times.
Helping with Acceptance
Acceptance doesn’t mean forgetting or not being unhappy anymore. Instead, it means figuring out how to move on and how to include loss in their life story. Elder care helps with this last stage by helping seniors find new goals, stay in touch with loved ones, and work on heartfelt projects like making memory books or recording their life experiences.
Professional elder care providers help seniors deal with grief and loss with dignity, compassion, and hope for better days ahead by giving them full emotional, social, and practical support at every stage of mourning.
Sources: https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/grief-and-loss-in-older-adults/
https://www.commonpoint.org/blog/coping-with-grief-and-loss-in-later-life-how-therapy-can-help-seniors-navigate-life-transitions
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/grief-and-mourning/coping-grief-and-loss
If you or an aging loved one is considering Elder Care Services in the Shawnee, KS area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City today.
Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in Missouri, as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years.
Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.
Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.
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