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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Resilience to loss in bereaved spouses, bereaved parents, and bereaved gay men.

Recent research has indicated that many people faced with highly aversive events suffer only minor, transient disruptions in functioning and retain a capacity for positive affect and experiences. This article reports 2 studies that replicate and extend these findings among bereaved parents, spouses, and caregivers of a chronically ill life partner using a range of self-report and objective measures of adjustment. Resilience was evidenced in half of each bereaved sample when compared with matched, nonbereaved counterparts and 36% of the caregiver sample in a more conservative, repeated-measures ipsative comparison. Resilient individuals were not distinguished by the quality of their relationship with spouse/partner or caregiver burden but were rated more positively and as better adjusted by close friends.

Affect↗
PubMed2003

[Lifestyle differences between conjugal bereaved women and non-bereaved women in later life].

PURPOSES: In Japan, there has been limited research regarding lifestyle of elderly bereaved. The present study was conducted to clarify lifestyle characteristics in conjugal bereaved women compared to non-bereaved women. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 872 bereaved and 643 non-bereaved elderly women aged 65 or over in T prefecture. Bereaved subjects experienced the death of a spouse in 1994 and their family structure remained unchanged after the bereavement. Non-bereaved subjects were randomly selected from community registration lists in 1995 and matched for age and area of residence. Lifestyle characteristics were obtained by home visit and interview. For the analysis, we divided the subjects into 4 groups by age and family structure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify lifestyle characteristics of bereaved elderly women, after adjustment for physical ability and disease, as confounding factors. RESULTS: Bereaved elderly women were significantly associated with no roles at home, no hobbies, lack of contact with friends, physical inactivity, sleeplessness and irregular meal patterns compared to the non-bereaved. Analysis of the 4 groups revealed bereaved women living with family members have more unfavorable lifestyle characteristics than bereaved women living alone. Bereaved women living with family members had no roll at home and sleeplessness. CONCLUSION: Bereaved women have unfavorable lifestyle characteristics. Those living with family members had more unfavorable lifestyle than bereaved women living alone. From the preventive point of view, interventions for bereaved women are needed. This is particularly the case for bereaved women living with family members. Not only health services but also social welfare services are needed to reconstruct favorable lifestyles and maintain health and well-being.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Electroencephalographic sleep in spousal bereavement and bereavement-related depression of late life.

Although spousal bereavement in late life is common and frequently leads to major depression, the boundary between bereavement without a depressive syndrome and bereavement-related depression has been insufficiently studied from a physiological perspective. Because other forms of depression are associated with physiological changes, including sleep, we have attempted to clarify the relationship of bereavement and bereavement-related depression by investigating electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep in 31 elderly volunteers with recent spousal bereavement, stratified by the presence (n = 15) or the absence (n = 16) of major depression (Research Diagnostic Criteria). Entry into the study was limited to volunteers without a personal history of psychiatric disorder. As hypothesized, bereaved subjects with major depression had significantly lower sleep efficiency, more early morning awakening, shorter rapid eye movement (REM) latency, greater REM sleep percent, and lower rates of delta wave generation in the first nonREM (NREM) period, compared with bereaved subjects without depression. Furthermore, the sleep of bereaved subjects with single-episode major depression resembled that of elderly patients with recurrent unipolar major depression (n = 15) on measures noted above. Sleep in bereavement without depression was similar to that of 15 healthy control subjects (neither bereaved nor depressed). These findings suggest that the current DSM-III-R concept of uncomplicated bereavement is not confirmed, as the sleep patterns of subjects who develop a depressive syndrome in the context of bereavement, many of whom might be considered to have "uncomplicated bereavement" by DSM-III-R standards, are identical to sleep patterns found in major depressive episodes. To our knowledge, this is the first study of EEG sleep in spousal bereavement with and without major depression.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Adult bereavement in five English hospices: participants, organisations and pre-bereavement support.

METHOD: in-depth organisational case studies of five English hospice bereavement services. ANALYSIS: thematic analysis of qualitative interviews and focus groups and scrutiny of documentary material provided by the hospice bereavement services. FINDINGS: despite the differences in philosophies and activities among the hospices a common pattern of support were apparent. All made contact with the bereaved relatives or main carers shortly after the patient's death, all provided information about practical and emotional aspects of bereavement and a mixture of social and therapeutic support. None of the hospices used formal "risk assessment", but at all sites there were processes in place to identify people who might benefit from bereavement support. Pre-bereavement support and continuity between this and bereavement support were important aspects. CONCLUSIONS: the case studies allowed analysis of individual characteristics and comparison between services. The high response rates suggest that the questionnaires used were acceptable to bereaved people. A clear and explicit rationale for bereavement support activities is a pre-requisite for the development of a cohesive and integrated programme of support to help resolve difficult decisions about individual clients. Pre-bereavement support by hospice staff positively contributes to the person's experience of bereavement. Hospices should address the issue of providing the appropriate level of bereavement support.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

"Orphaned bereavement": Toward a public health model for bereavement.

Bereavement is increasingly recognized as a public health concern, yet support systems in many welfare states continue to allocate support according to the circumstances of death rather than the functional needs of bereaved families. Existing bereavement frameworks have substantially advanced understanding of social recognition and public legitimacy but provide more limited guidance for understanding how institutional responsibility for bereaved families is organized. using Israel as a bereavement-saturated case, this study introduces the concept of orphaned bereavement to describe bereavement in which no institution holds clearly defined and continuing responsibility for identifying needs, coordinating support, and ensuring continuity of care. Drawing on 25 semi-structured interviews with five bereaved family members and 20 professionals, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, the analysis generated three interrelated themes: institutionalized invisibility and unequal recognition; reorganizing life in the absence of institutional support; and pathways toward a needs-based model of bereavement support. The findings extend existing theories of disenfranchized grief and grievability by introducing institutional responsibility as a complementary lens for understanding bereavement inequality and support a needs-based public health approach in which support is organized according to families' evolving functional needs rather than the circumstances of death.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Update on bereavement research: evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of complicated bereavement.

The past decade has witnessed considerable growth in the evidence-base from which clinical recommendations for bereavement care can be made. Research now provides guidance to assist clinicians in: a) recognizing differences between complicated and uncomplicated bereavement reactions, b) identifying risk factors that may make certain individuals more vulnerable to bereavement-related complications, c) appreciating and monitoring for potential adverse outcomes associated with bereavement and d) taking actions to prevent or minimize maladjustment to the loss. In this article we distinguish between the course of normal grief and abnormally prolonged, or complicated grief; clarify distinctions between Complicated Grief Disorder and other mental disorders secondary to bereavement; review outcomes associated with Complicated Grief Disorder; describe research on resilience in bereavement; present findings on stigmatization and the use of mental health services among recently bereaved persons; and summarize where the field is with respect to establishing the efficacy and effectiveness of bereavement interventions. Promising new psychotherapies for Complicated Grief Disorder have shown clinical efficacy. Nevertheless, further research is needed to enhance the detection of vulnerable bereaved persons, to promote resilience following significant interpersonal loss, and to tailor interventions to address the attachment issues that lie at the heart of this disorder.

Bereavement↗
PubMed2000

Employment and health among older bereaved men in the normative aging study: one year and three years following a bereavement event.

Research has indicated that the negative effects of bereavement on health among elderly men occur within the first six to twelve months following a bereavement event while other studies indicate that the death of a loved one can have long-term effects on social functioning and mental health (Arbuckle & DeVries, 1995; Vinick, 1983a). However, employment has been found to buffer the strain produced by stressful life events. The purpose of this study was to examine the differential effects of employment on physical and mental health between elderly men bereaved for one year and elderly men bereaved for two to three years. We selected two groups of men from the Normative Aging Study: those bereaved within the past year (N = 248) and those bereaved from two to three years (N = 262). Ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses examined the direct effect of employment, controlling for age, education, income, marital status, and stress, on physical and mental health among the two groups of men. Although there were no significant differences between the two groups of men, the results from the separate analyses indicated that employment had a direct positive effect on physical health among those bereaved for one year and those bereaved from two to three years, but no significant effects were observed on mental health. The results suggest that employment can benefit men soon after a bereavement event and also over a longer period of time, especially on physical health. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Improving management of bereavement in general practice based on a survey of recently bereaved subjects in a single general practice.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of bereavement in primary care have tended to concentrate on the attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) to bereavement support and little has been documented on the views of patients. AIM: To establish the role, content, and value of a protocol designed to help the newly bereaved by examining the experiences and expectations of a group of bereaved patients within a single general practice, with a view to developing patient care within this area. METHOD: A qualitative approach was adopted using a semi-structured questionnaire, data collection, and analysis consistent with the principles of grounded theory. Patients were approached by letter and those who agreed to take part in the study were interviewed at home. RESULTS: Many of those interviewed expected some form of contact from their GP after bereavement, although the nature of the contact they would have liked varied. The majority would have appreciated a letter of sympathy and none would have objected to it. Over half expressed some form of dissatisfaction either with their GP or with the hospital. Quality of information giving and communication affected bereavement outcomes for some. The role of the GP was examined and patients responded positively to practical suggestions to improve bereavement care. CONCLUSIONS: Bereavement support was seen to be an important part of the GP role by the majority of those interviewed. As a result recommendations have been made for a protocol to support the newly bereaved.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

A survey of grief and bereavement in nursing homes: the importance of hospice grief and bereavement for the end-stage Alzheimer's disease patient and family.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of grief and bereavement services in nursing homes. To highlight the importance of grief and bereavement as provided in the Medicare hospice benefit for the end-stage Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patient and family residing in long-term care facilities. DESIGN: Telephone survey of nursing homes. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-one nursing homes in the Lower Peninsula of the state of Michigan. MEASUREMENTS: The facilities were asked questions about on-site grief and bereavement services, services routinely offered by licensed hospice agencies. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of the homes sent sympathy cards after the patients death. Ninety-nine percent of the facilities surveyed did not provide materials to the family or primary caregiver on the grieving process or bereavement after the death. None of the facilities sent a letter after the patients death informing them of local, community or on-site bereavement support group meetings. Seventy-six percent of the homes were not able to offer a referral to a counseling or psychiatric professional when bereavement intervention was deemed appropriate. Fifty-four percent of the homes usually went to the funeral home or the funeral of a patient who died it their facility. Ninety-eight percent of the nursing homes neither visited, made phone calls, nor provided written communication (i.e., bereavement newsletter) to the family members after the patients death. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated few grief and bereavement services for families of patients residing in long-term care facilities. Because grief and bereavement is part of the career of most Alzheimer's caregivers, access to the Medicare hospice benefit should be encouraged for families of patients with end-stage Alzheimer's Disease residing in nursing facilities.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1998

A longitudinal study comparing bereavement phenomena in recently bereaved spouses, adult children and parents.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated previous research findings and clinical impressions which indicated that the intensity of grief for parents who had lost a child was likely to be higher than that for widows/widowers, who in turn were likely to have more intense reactions than adult children losing a parent. METHOD: In order to compare the intensities of the bereavement reactions among representative community samples of bereaved spouses (n = 44), adult children (n = 40) and parents (n = 36), and to follow the course of such phenomena, a detailed Bereavement Questionnaire was administered at four time points over a 13-month period following the loss. RESULTS: Measures based on items central to the construct of bereavement showed significant time and group differences in accordance with the proposed hypothesis. More global items associated with the construct of resolution showed a significant time effect, but without significant group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from this study supports the hypothesis that in non-clinical, community-based populations the frequency with which core bereavement phenomena are experienced is in the order: bereaved parents > bereaved spouses > bereaved adult children.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Bereavement and the brain: invitation to a conversation between bereavement researchers and neuroscientists.

A recent development by neuroscience is neuroimaging, a method of looking into the "black box" of the brain while people are feeling, doing, and thinking in real time. The first fMRI study of bereavement has recently been published, and the present article summarizes it in non-specialist language, focusing on its theoretical and clinical applications. In an attempt to bridge the gap between bereavement researchers and neuroscientists, the author discusses how these two fields could assist each other in forwarding both fields. Three current debates in the field of bereavement research are outlined, including (a) adaptation in the normal grief process, (b) complicated grief vs. resilience, and (c) meaning-making vs. return-to-baseline models of bereavement. The potential contribution of neuroscientific data to these debates is discussed in several hypothetical examples. These examples stimulate thinking about the reciprocity between 2 questions: What can bereavement teach us about the brain? and What can the brain tell us about bereavement? This article is designed to provide enough background for investigators who are primarily concerned with the brain and those primarily concerned with bereavement to open a dialogue between both of these fields.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Bereaved caregivers' descriptions of sleep: impact on daily life and the bereavement process.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe how sleep and bereavement may be related in family caregivers. DESIGN: Descriptive and qualitative. SETTING: Participants' homes. SAMPLE: 9 adults with no previous diagnoses of clinical depression or sleep disorders who had been providing care to family members who died in the previous six months. METHODS: Participants provided narrative accounts of sleep quality, bereavement, and daily functioning since the death of their family members. Participants' sleep quality and depressive symptoms also were measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Sleep quality, depressive symptoms, bereavement, and daily functioning. FINDINGS: Narratives revealed five themes: nightmares, wake after sleep onset, scheduling, daily life, and bereavement. Participants scored high on the PSQI and CES-D. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep quality appears to affect bereavement and daily functioning. Participants reported severe levels of sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Studies are needed to explore sleep quality in bereaved caregivers and to examine the relationship between sleep quality and an individual's ability to accomplish the tasks of bereavement.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1984

Cross-cultural aspects of bereavement. II: Ethnic and cultural variations in the development of bereavement practices.

Despite a growing interest in bereavement in cross-cultural perspective, few reports have described a comparative analysis of bereavement. By examining the social contexts in the transformations of Western bereavement practices, structures common to bereavement in a range of cultures can be identified. The paper compares the contemporary bereavement practices of several ethnic and cultural groups in North America: Blacks; ethnic Chinese; Southeast Asian refugees; Haitians; Italians; Greeks; and Spanish-speaking groups. Consideration is given to the state of widowhood in different cultural systems. The impact of modernization among traditional societies demonstrates that even though Western technologies are incorporated into the procedures followed by these modernizing societies, the deep cultural code remains intact. Five questions require further clarification: is bereavement an illness, or a rite de passage and a normal life event? How widespread and useful are protective factors, such as group support, that facilitate successful resolution of grief? How effective are mourning practices of various ethnic groups in preventing "bad grief", and might some of these practices be beneficial if taken up by other ethnic groups? How can the Western health practitioner know that a bereaved person from an unfamiliar cultural group is suffering "bad grief"? How acceptable is Western grief counseling to non-Western clients?

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed1997

Psychological well-being and ratings of psychiatric symptoms in bereaved Israeli adolescents: differential effect of war-versus accident-related bereavement.

Eight hundred seventy-one Israeli adolescents, 375 boys and 496 girls, mean age 16.7 +/- 1, participated in this study. Twenty-three of them lost relatives in war and 19 in road accidents. All participants were administered the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the General Well-being Scale (GWB), the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Perceived Social Support-Family/Friend (PSS-Fa and PSS-Fr) measures. War-bereaved adolescents showed significantly higher scores in psychological well-being (GWB) and significantly lower scores in reported psychiatric symptoms (BSI) than accident-bereaved adolescents. War-bereaved adolescents also had significantly better BSI and GWB scores than the general nonbereaved adolescent population. These results persisted after controlling for family socio-economic status, gender, and the degrees of closeness of the deceased relative. War-bereaved adolescents did not differ either from accident-bereaved adolescents or from the nonbereaved general adolescent population in social and family support systems (PSS-Fr, PSS-Fa) and did not experience different basic parental attitudes (PBI). Results are discussed in terms of the different meanings ascribed to death in battle versus death in a road accident.

Accidents↗
PubMed2006

Bereavement support for families following the death of a child from cancer: experience of bereaved parents.

This study explored the experiences and needs of nine parents who had received hospital-based bereavement support following the death of their child from cancer, in Western Australia. Six prominent themes emerged from thematic data analysis: personal grief, personal coping, concern for siblings of the deceased child, hospital bereavement support, community supports and unmet needs. Parents identified the need for more supportive contact from hospital staff during the palliative phase and following the child's death, early provision of information on how to practically and emotionally prepare for the death of their child, contact with other bereaved parents, and formal grief support for siblings. Areas for future research include exploration of parents' wish to become involved in activities to help others, bereavement support for siblings, the level of contact with the hospital unit that may be therapeutically beneficial, and parental behaviors associated with accessing both hospital and community-based bereavement supports.

Bereavement↗
PubMed1996

The interdisciplinary bereavement team: defining and directing appropriate bereavement care.

Hospice bereavement care often occurs in relative isolation from other program components; staff and volunteers are without the guidance, consultation and support provided through the interdisciplinary team that is enjoyed by personnel working in patient care areas. This article promotes a similar interdisciplinary team concept that has been successfully employed in one of the country's largest bereavement programs. Comprised of bereavement program staff, consultants from the patient care program, professional and lay volunteers, this interdisciplinary team defines and directs interventions provided by the bereavement care program.

Bereavement↗
PubMed1995

A prospective longitudinal investigation of spousal bereavement examining Parkes and Weiss' Bereavement Risk Index.

The purpose of this study was (a) to describe spousal bereavement both prospectively and longitudinally and (b) to examine the validity of the Bereavement Risk Index (BRI) published by Parkes and Weiss (1). Psychological distress was measured in 46 subjects across five time intervals beginning prior to a spousal death from lung cancer and ending 25 months after the death using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) (2). The hypothesis that the BRI discriminates between bereaved spouses at high and low risk for psychological distress was supported by measurements taken within two months of the patient's diagnosis (prior to death), at 6 weeks following the death, and at 6 and 13 months thereafter. These findings support the need for early identification of individuals at high risk for negative bereavement outcomes even prior to the spousal death.

Adolescent↗