Loss may become a big part of your aging adult's life. There are the people that she might lose, which includes both family members and friends. But there are also the skills and abilities that she might lose, such as driving or her ability to hear well. Regardless of the type of loss, your senior is going to have to work her way through to accepting it.Disbelief
Disbelief and shock are usually the very first emotions someone who is grieving will feel. This is true particularly when the loss is sudden. In fact, some people may exist in a period of denial in which they experience such strong disbelief that their mind literally refuses to accept the information regarding the loss. You might worry that your senior is having cognitive issues, but it's usually her brain trying to protect her from something so painful.
Anger
Many people are shocked to find that the grief process involves at least some degree of anger. When anyone experiences a loss, they're almost always not ready for it. Whether this loss is a person or a skill, your senior may find herself feeling extremely angry that what she's lost is no longer a part of her life.
Sadness
Depending on the loss, your senior may experience varying degrees of sadness. She may be sad that she can no longer do certain things or, if she's lost people, she may feel that her own mortality is also coming to a close. All of this can make her reflect more on what she's leaving behind and that can be incredibly saddening.
Guilt
Once your senior has moved through her sadness and her anger, she may feel guilty. This is especially the case if she's losing more and more of her friends, but she's still going strong. She may feel as if she doesn't live a particularly healthy lifestyle, for example, so why should one of her friends have passed away.
Acceptance
Acceptance happens when your aging family member is able to fully let the grief go and move on. She may still not like the situation, of course, but she's able to move on from the loss. Moving into acceptance allows your elderly family member to experience peace.
Dealing with grief is a painful process and unfortunately there's no one timetable for it. Everyone grieves at their own pace. Having support from you, from home care providers, and from other family members can help your elderly family member so much.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Homecare in Boca Raton, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At BrightStar Care Today! 561-921-0550.