Coping With Loss and Grief

 Senior people are affected by the death of loved ones and, they are overwhelmed by a painful experience such as loneliness and depression. One important thing that supports the grieving individuals in coping the loss of a loved one is accommodation (Thumala, 2014). This means that the caregivers and professionals should take adaptive actions to help the order people adjust to the new condition.  In other words, accommodation involves social adaptation and, caregiver acts as comfort keepers where senior people get a valuable companionship which helps them recover emotionally (Thumala, 2014). In addition to accommodation, the caregivers establish the adaptive processes such as using the available social resources to provide support.

 Mindfulness and collaboration with the grieving older people provides a holistic treatment and more importantly, helps the older people cope with the loss. Note that through collaboration, the caregiver and the individual solve the problem together through information seeking and uses noncontingent reinforcement to reduce the helplessness (Thumala, 2014). Zakrajsek et al. (2013) support the mindfulness and collaboration by asserting that in helping the elderly adjust to the new life, there must be coordination and effective communication. This involves the information exchange which fosters quality services. Communication during care transition will also help the caregiver make effective decisions based on the coping with loss.

            Contemplative practices support individual development in that the caregiver develops a sense of perspective, becomes aware of the condition and the present moment of the elderly and ensure a regular engagement with the grieving person. For example, a caregiver provides the elderly with mindfulness training where the elderly will gain self-control, acceptance and improve mental clarity (Thumala, 2014). Contemplative practice such as developing therapeutic practices helps the elderly improve the emotional and physical health and reduce stress and depression. In coping with loss, the role of contemplative practices is to pay attention to the grieving person, show empathy, be committed and use communication skills to help the person live a meaningful life. Fawcett (2012) adds that in order to create and main the well-being of elderly, caregivers should provide tangle and valuable resources. Through social engagement, the elderly will develop the sense of belonging, sense of inclusiveness, sense of well-being, among other associated benefits. These contemplative practices will help the older people adjust to the new condition and live the meaningful life.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 References

 

Thumala Dockendorff, D. C. (2014). Healthy Ways of Coping With Losses Related to the Aging

Process. Educational Gerontology, 40(5), 363-384.

 

Fawcett, B. (2012). Well-being and older people: The place of day clubs in reconceptualising

participation and challenging deficit. British Journal of Social Work, 44(4), 831-848.

 

Zakrajsek, A. G., Schuster, E., Guenther, D., & Lorenz, K. (2013). Exploring older adult care transitions

from hospital to home: A participatory action research project. Physical & Occupational Therapy

in Geriatrics, 31(4), 328-344.