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Grief and Loss
Grief and loss are common emotional responses to the difficulties of caregiving, especially when caring for someone with a chronic illness. This resource examines the different types of grief that caregivers may face, such as anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss, and provides strategies for coping and healing. It underscores the importance of recognizing and expressing emotions to build stronger connections with loved ones and enhance personal well-being.
We generally think of grief as a reaction to a death. But there is another grief that comes from loss while someone is still living. This grief is often experienced when caring for someone with a chronic illness. Chronic illness, and particularly any illness that impairs a person’s cognitive ability, causes caregivers and loved ones to experience grief and loss right now. In this fact sheet, we will discuss the grief related to death and dying, and grief associated with chronic illness. It is natural to grieve the death of a loved one before, during, and after the actual time of their passing. The process of accepting the unacceptable is what grieving is all about.