“I Have Accepted My Father’s Death; I was not Sad but Relieved.” Adaptive Grief Responses for Bereaved Dementia Family Caregivers: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This scoping review explores findings from the psychological and medical literature on the adaptive grieving experiences of bereaved dementia family caregivers and integrates what healthcare professionals can do to support bereaved dementia family caregivers transition into a post-death role. Bereaved dementia family caregivers are particularly susceptible to prolonged grief disorder post-death due to the protracted caregiving demands and progressive course of the illness. The mention of caregiver grief while the person with dementia is living is quite common in the literature; however, limited research focuses on the bereaved dementia family caregiver and the methods they use to grieve adaptively. Three overarching adaptive grieving themes emerged from the review: 1) social health, 2) emotional and spiritual fitness, and 3) reclaiming activities. Given the growing prevalence of bereaved family dementia caregivers, understanding how they might most adaptively grieve and experience the greatest possible well-being should be a top focus for research.

Protocol for a telephonic mixed methods study to understand needs and find solutions for bereaved dementia caregivers

“…Moreover, even among those who do not develop PGD, a wide range of subclinical consequences can be experienced including increased depressive symptoms, loneliness and negative affect as well as reduced positive affect, skills/self-care, personal growth and satisfaction with life. 5 7 Promising supports for bereaved AD/ADRD caregivers have been identified, 9 but understanding of who will have greater or lesser struggles after AD/ADRD deaths is limited.…”