Anticipatory grief: coping with the impending death of a partner

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Abstract
This article reports on the findings from an exploratory study of 12 bereaved older people and their experiences during the time when their partner was receiving terminal care in hospital. The aim was to examine the nature of the spouses’ experiences in relation to anticipatory grief (Rando, 1986). The findings indicate that anticipatory grief had a cumulative, rather than a specific influence on the spouse’s bereavement. In its broadest sense, the experience of anticipatory grief allowed for adaptation to the loss to begin prior to their partner’s death. The role of the nurse in giving emotional support to the family before death is discussed. This raises issues concerning the implications of anticipatory grief for nurses in being able to recognize and understand this phenomenon and the impact it can have on the grieving spouse.

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