Approach to grief: exploratory aspects about the assistance of occupational therapists

Abstract

Introduction Grief consists of a natural and expected reaction upon a loss, and is understood as a process experienced in a unique way, in which emotional, physical, behavioral, and social responses are manifested differently according to each individual. Comprehensive care for the bereaved should include understanding the individuals as biopsychosocial and occupational beings; however, the impacts on the occupational dimension during bereavement are still little explored in the literature. Objective To characterize the practices carried out by Brazilian occupational therapists with bereaved people. Method This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, qualitative study. Data were collected through virtual forms aimed at surveying potential participants and, subsequently, through interviews with occupational therapists who claimed to have assisted grief. Data evaluation was performed by content analysis. Results It was found that only one occupational therapist reported the use of theoretical references on grief as a basis for interventions, as well as the predominance of assistance to the adult and older populations. The demands reported by occupational therapists in assisting the bereaved culminated in three categories: occupational deficits, emotional demand, and restriction of spaces for exchanges. Conclusion Occupational therapists participating in this study expressed a perception of the repercussions of grief in occupations; however, practices in this area emerged mainly from care flows that are not specifically structured for this assistance, which may justify the distancing from theoretical references on grief reported by the professionals.