February 23, 20076:57 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

New findings concerning grief following death in the family

The widely accepted construct of grief progression, called the stage-theory of grief, describes the phases of mourning death. The popular theory, which has been taught in medical schools nation wide, states that disbelief is the initial indicator of grief while depression is the long-term marker. However, a group of researches at Yale University have debunked that theory with the publication of a resent study.

The study, published in the February 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that acceptance is actually the dominate initial grief factor and “yearning for the deceased” is the long-term indicator. Additionally, the study found that the negative emotions associated with grief most often dissipate after six months. According to Paul K. Maciejewski, PhD at Yale and one the authors of the study, grief following death that exceeds six months “suggests the need for further evaluation of the bereaved survivor and potential referral for treatment.”

The following is an excerpt of an article from Medpage Today that reviews the study:

These findings “offer a point of reference for distinguishing between normal and abnormal reactions to loss,” the authors wrote.

Since the negative motions peaked within six months, individuals “who experience any of the indicators beyond six months postloss would appear to deviate from the normal response to loss,” they said.

Grief beyond six months, the researchers said, can be considered a diagnostic criterion for prolonged grief disorder, which would indicate the need for evaluation for psychiatric complications of bereavement, such as major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The authors noted that the study was limited by its design, which delayed assessing individuals until at least a month following the death of a family member and limited follow-up to three sessions. Monthly follow-up, they said, would have provided more data.

Click here to read the rest of the article

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February 16, 20074:40 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Are healthcare systems failing to address spiritual wellness?

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found significant deficiencies in spiritual care services for end of life patients. Tracy Balboni, an oncologist that works with cancer patients and author of the study, reported that 88% of terminally ill cancer patients claim that religion is important to them to some degree. The study, which surveyed 230 people with less than a year to live, found that terminally ill people have very little support from the religious community. 70% of the participants in the study claimed that health care professionals or chaplains did not meet their spiritual needs during treatment. Balboni reported patients that did feel their spiritual health was tended to felt their quality of life was better during treatment. On a fifty point scale measuring quality of life, patients that had their spiritual needs met during treatment ranked 14 points higher than those that did not.

The unsettling findings of the study are due to several factors. Many hospitals may not have large enough budgets to support chaplains. Another hindrance to support from the religious community is that many terminally ill patients are home bound. Additionally, many doctors avoid the issue of faith with patients to keep from imposing their beliefs and to stay away from any legal liabilities.

There is clearly a responsibility for the spiritual well being of terminally ill patients on the part of the religious community, chaplains and health care professionals. Pastors and priests must be diligent to stay connected with congregants. Doctors and other health care professionals, if not providing spiritual support, need to act as liaisons, referring terminally ill patients to churches and chaplains. Lastly, the importance of chaplains in health care systems needs to be recognized by those in charge of structuring personnel.

To read more on this topic, follow this link to USA Today

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February 12, 200712:30 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Loneliness connected to Alzheimers

A recent study published by researchers at Rush Alzheimer Disease Center in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry found a connection between loneliness and dementia. According to the study, people who have less interaction with others late in life tend to be more susceptible to the type of dementia that is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The study focused on 823 older adults over a period of four years. The participants took questionnaires, which assessed their thinking processes, memory and degree of loneliness, among other things. The Following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that reviews the study:

Lonely individuals may be twice as likely to develop the type of dementia linked to Alzheimer’s disease in late life as those who are not lonely, according to a study by researchers at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center. The study is published in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Previous studies have shown that social isolation, or having few interactions with others, is associated with an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline. However, little was know about the emotional isolation, which refers to feeling alone rather than being alone.

Robert S. Wilson, PhD, and his colleagues, analyzed the association between loneliness and Alzheimer’s disease in 823 older adults over a four year period. Participants underwent evaluations that included questionnaires to assess loneliness, classifications of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and testing of their thinking, learning and memory abilities. Loneliness was measured on a scale of one to five, with higher scores indicating more loneliness. The data was collected between November 2000 and May 2006.

Click here to read the entire article

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11:59 am
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Loneliness caused by isolation

Loneliness is something that we all deal with from time to time. People that are not willing to be vulnerable in relationships with others generally lead lifestyles that are continually isolated or distanced causing loneliness. The fact is, however, that people are wired for relationships. It is part of our internal make-up. Relationship is the most instrumental tool for relieving loneliness. Forming intimate relationships takes sacrifice, compromise, putting others before yourself and mutual respect. The following is an excerpt of an article written by Dr. Richard D. Dobbins entitled Intimate Friendships Can Cure Loneliness:

Only intimate friendships can cure our loneliness. When we are about 8 or 9 years of age, we begin to long for that kind of a close relationship with another person.

This longing for intimacy creates a desperate search on the part of the child for a close friend, a buddy, or a chum. Although this level of friendship creates the capacity for greater and greater levels of intimacy, it also increases the likelihood of greater levels of loneliness when we face separation from an intimate friend, or worse yet, the loss of an intimate friend. In fact, the termination of an intimate relationship — through death or separation — is one of the most traumatic experiences of life.

Intimacy and loneliness are forever wrapped together in life. Intimacy involves two people who are capable of relating to each other in supportive and helpful ways. Each of them is secure enough to share his or her wholeness with the other.

Click here to read the entire article

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February 2, 20072:20 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Compassion and Attentiveness Help Grieving Families Cope with Loss

A recent study preformed by Alexandre Laurette, MD and colleagues at Saint-Louis Hospital found that compassion, listening and validating a person’s feelings of loss, ease the grief over the loss of a loved one. The study compared two different methods of dealing with families that had experienced the death of a loved one. The first method, which was used as a control for the study, was a conventional ICU family conference. The second method, described as a formalized family intervention, incorporated more listening and feedback from family members. Participants in the formalized family intervention were given a brochure on bereavement and were asked to come to a conference which surrounded five objectives. The objectives were represented by the acronym VALUE which stands for:

Value and appreciate what the family members said.

Acknowledge the emotions of family members.

Listen.

Understand, by asking questions “who the patient was as a person.”

Elicit questions from family members.

The study found that patients that took part in the formalized intervention had lower levels of depression, anxiety and PTSD. The following is an excerpt of an article from Med Page Today that discusses the study in depth:

Dr. Laurette and colleagues found that three months after the death of a loved one, those family members who were went through the formalized process had lower levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, anxiety, and depression and were better able to cope with their loss.

“A proactive strategy for routine end-of-life family conferences that included provision of a brochure on bereavement, as compared with customary practice, resulted in longer meetings in which families had more opportunities to speak and to express emotions, felt more supported in making difficult decisions, experienced more relief from guilt, and were more likely to accept realistic goals of care,” the investigators wrote in the Feb. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In an accompanying editorial, Craig M. Lilly, M.D., of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, and Barbara J. Daly, Ph.D, R.N., of Case Western University in Cleveland, applauded the authors for taking a scientific approach to a hard-to-quantify subject.

Click here to read the entire article

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1:42 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Grieving is a Natural Process

When experiencing loss, allowing one’s self to grieve is healthier than sweeping the realities you may be facing under the rug. Grieving is a natural human process. Grief itself can be useful in helping one to progress to emotional recovery. However, the natural progression for someone that is grieving should end in recovery and not turn into long-term depression, anxiety or post traumatic stress. The following is an excerpt of an article that discusses the natural grieving process and explores biblical ideas on grief:

Understanding the nature of grief can help us better cope with loss. Grief is a natural, healthy process that enables us to recover from terrible emotional wounds. William Cowper, the English hymn writer, said, “Grief is itself medicine.” People may say, “Don’t cry; your loved one is in heaven.” That may be true, but it’s important to deal with the very real pain of loss. We should not feel guilty for grieving because it is a necessary part of God’s pathway to healing.

The grief process is like sailing across a stormy sea. When we first experience a great loss, we are launched into a tempest of emotions. We feel surrounded by darkness and heavy waves of anguish. Comforting words are drowned out by howling winds of sorrow. We feel lonely and out of control as we are swept toward a new destination in life.

Click here to read the entire article

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