Spousal bereavement in the elderly

This article reviews the ways in which the loss of a spouse may affect the health and functioning of older people, and the manner in which they cope with bereavement. The increased mortality among widowed elderly is causing great concern. Various factors appear to place the elderly at risk of adverse outcome; other factors are known to be protective. Some general considerations on grief-work and mourning and a description of common bereavement reactions set the stage for understanding what is meant by bereavement phases, normal and abnormal reactions, and anticipatory grief. This leads to the discussion of a variety of promising intervention strategies used to help bereaved elderly adapt successfully to their new life situation. These strategies include self-help, mutual support, widow-to-widow programmes, support by clergy and funeral staff, hospice programmes, counselling, individual and group psychotherapy, and the use of medication. Important gaps in current knowledge require additional research, clinical experience and community involvement. Although little empirical work has been done with recently bereaved elderly, a number of interesting intervention models now exist in the field. They offer some guidelines for a minimal level community-based intervention programme aiming at supportive presence in the first bereavement phase, expression of feelings in the second phase, and reinvestment in new relationships and activities in the third phase. Practical help, a support network, an understanding attitude, and referral in case of abnormal bereavement reactions are needed throughout all bereavement phases. Health promotion should be the goal of all people and agencies who deal with bereaved elderly.

Affect (linguistics) · Complicated grief · Disenfranchised grief · Feeling · Grief · Intervention (counseling) · Promotion (chess) · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Referral · Social support · Spouse · Traumatic grief · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology · Social Psychology

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