Alzheimer"s Disease and Grief: Overcoming Four Types of Grief Associated With a Loved One"s Dementia
1.
Grief Over the Loss of the "Previous Person" When a loved one is showing clear signs of dementia that person begins to fade away, resulting in feelings of loss and despair.
And there are so many losses over time.
These include things such as negative personality changes, not being able to have meaningful conversations, and the person with dementia not even recognizing loved ones.
One way to deal with these continuing losses is to learn to let go of the "previous person" and learn to love and cherish the new person just as he or she is.
This process must be repeated over and over as the disease advances.
2.
Anticipatory Grief Anticipatory grief is that which often occurs when one is expecting a person to die.
It typically has the same symptoms as grief after any other death.
To deal with this it can be helpful to try to shift your focus from the anticipated death of the person to trying to enjoy together the time that's remaining.
3.
Grief When the Person Finally Dies Grief when a loved one with dementia dies can be more difficult than that for other types of death.
One reason is because the caregiver has usually already been grieving the loss of the person for years.
Research has found that 72% of people who have a loved one with dementia are actually relieved when the person dies.
This can lead to severe feelings of guilt.
It's important to realize that feeling relief when a person with dementia passes away is normal and that there's no reason to feel guilty about it.
4.
Complicated Grief Complicated grief, also referred to as unresolved grief, is that which does not lessen with time, or is so intense it significantly interferes with one's life.
It may appear as major depression, lead to substance abuse, cause thoughts of suicide, or take on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
It may also become chronic grief.
Surprisingly, complicated grief may also manifest itself as a complete absence of mourning.
Complicated grief usually requires professional help from a physician and/or psychotherapist.
Moving on Grief must be fully experienced before you can move on.
You need to allow yourself time to grieve.
At some point - when you feel you're ready - try to begin "returning to the world.
" Take up a new hobby or go back to one that lapsed while you were caring for your loved one.
Spend more time with the family members and friends you may have seen less in the preceding months or years.
Some people also benefit from doing volunteer work.
The important thing is to find something you really enjoy doing and then do it.
Grief Over the Loss of the "Previous Person" When a loved one is showing clear signs of dementia that person begins to fade away, resulting in feelings of loss and despair.
And there are so many losses over time.
These include things such as negative personality changes, not being able to have meaningful conversations, and the person with dementia not even recognizing loved ones.
One way to deal with these continuing losses is to learn to let go of the "previous person" and learn to love and cherish the new person just as he or she is.
This process must be repeated over and over as the disease advances.
2.
Anticipatory Grief Anticipatory grief is that which often occurs when one is expecting a person to die.
It typically has the same symptoms as grief after any other death.
To deal with this it can be helpful to try to shift your focus from the anticipated death of the person to trying to enjoy together the time that's remaining.
3.
Grief When the Person Finally Dies Grief when a loved one with dementia dies can be more difficult than that for other types of death.
One reason is because the caregiver has usually already been grieving the loss of the person for years.
Research has found that 72% of people who have a loved one with dementia are actually relieved when the person dies.
This can lead to severe feelings of guilt.
It's important to realize that feeling relief when a person with dementia passes away is normal and that there's no reason to feel guilty about it.
4.
Complicated Grief Complicated grief, also referred to as unresolved grief, is that which does not lessen with time, or is so intense it significantly interferes with one's life.
It may appear as major depression, lead to substance abuse, cause thoughts of suicide, or take on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
It may also become chronic grief.
Surprisingly, complicated grief may also manifest itself as a complete absence of mourning.
Complicated grief usually requires professional help from a physician and/or psychotherapist.
Moving on Grief must be fully experienced before you can move on.
You need to allow yourself time to grieve.
At some point - when you feel you're ready - try to begin "returning to the world.
" Take up a new hobby or go back to one that lapsed while you were caring for your loved one.
Spend more time with the family members and friends you may have seen less in the preceding months or years.
Some people also benefit from doing volunteer work.
The important thing is to find something you really enjoy doing and then do it.
