Loss and Bereavement Flashcards
What is grief?
Grief is the range of responses to a loss of a bond or something we have affection towards. Generally associated with death, but can be related to loss of good health or divorce.
What are the responses to grief?
Behavioural, immunological, physiological-somatic, cognitive and affective.
What is affective grief?
Emotional effects associated with grief such as hopelessness, anxiety, anhedonia, guilt, despair and loneliness.
What are the behavioural effects of grief?
Restlessness, social withdrawal, tensesness, crying, overactivity to distract, yearning and searching behaviour, sensing that someoneis alive
What are the cognitive effects of grief?
Intrusive thoughts and preoccupation about the deceased, suicidal ideation, lowered self esteem, memory difficulties, sensse of unreality, denial.
What are the physiological effects of grief?
Loss of appetite, sleep distubrnaces, energy loss, somatic pain, physical symtpoms similar to deceased.
What are the imunological and endocrine changes with girief?
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Increased susceptibility to disease and illness and higher mortality rates, partly due to suicide which is higher in wives than husbands.
What is the Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle?
Denial- avoidance, confusion, elation, shcok
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
-> People may cycle between the stages, remain at a certain stage or not change it at all.
What are the models of grief?
Stage models of Kubler-Ross
Adaptation/Re-learning Models
Meaning-making models
Balance-oscillation models
How are children affected by grief?
Children have a literal understanding of the world and are egocentric, therefore they must be explained that the cause of death is not their fault, outline the circumstances and causes clearly and maintain routine.
How are families affected by bereavement?
They must meet their own individual needs and needs as a family in order to respond to grief. Open communication about feelings and affection mitigates grief and increases funcitional capacity. Family conflict will contribute to a worse grieving process.
What are the cultural differences in bereavement?
How death is defined, how grief is expressed, the relationship of the living with the deceased, time allotted to mourning and the disposal of the body.
What is complicated grief?
Cluster of depressive symtpoms with preoccupation with the deceased. Includes chronic grief which is when grief fails to resolve in a usual manner and delayed grief where the expression of grief is avoided.
What are the health effects of bereavement?
Higher rates of mortality and disease, depression, higher suicidal rates, increased susceptibility to infection, somatic pain symptoms, sleeplessness, lack of energy, loss of appetite, tightness in chest.
