Loss of Long-time Spouse Can Send Older Adult Into Decline

Photo credit Jeremy Wong Dear Carol: My 87-year-old dad died three months ago from cancer. He and Mom had been married more than 56 years and his loss was devastating to her. Dad had been Mom’s main caregiver for nearly 20 years because of her past cancer and ongoing vascular dementia. What upsets me is that Mom isn’t making any progress in coping with dad’s death. We talk a lot about how we miss him but she always follows the conversation by saying, “He’s not gone.” On better days she’ll say, “I can’t believe he’s gone,” but mostly she says, “He’s not gone,” like saying that will make it true. I don’t know what to do to help her and I’m sure that now that Dad’s gone Mom’s health will only get worse. How do I help her focus on her own life? -  KE Read the full article on Inforum to learn more about how  elderly spouses often react to the death of their long-time mate: Support a caregiver or jump-start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders of Minding Our Elders e-mail Carol                  Related StoriesHobbies Can Become Frustrating As Dementia ProgressesCareging for a Person Living with Dementia? Avoid Saying These ThingsKeep Digging to Find Source of Mother's Pain 
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs