The rollercoaster model of the bereaved caregiver

Meg Moorhouse, Margaret O’Connor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The grief associated with bereavement, while a natural response to loss, is usually a traumatic life event. The bereavement experience for a primary caregiver with the experience of caring for a loved one is complex, especially if this role has required them to relinquish aspects of their own life. The healing trajectory for the bereaved carer is often more complex than for many other bereavements, given the pre-death experience of caregiving. This paper describes the development of a bereavement model which arose from significant clinical experience of working with bereaved carers in a community palliative care environment. The model assists the bereaved carer in gaining insight into their experience and a focus for their psychological and emotional expression, thereby promoting adaptation to the transition and promoting a healthier grief trajectory.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)320-325
Number of pages6
JournalProgress in Palliative Care
Volume29
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Keywords

  • Bereavement models
  • Caregiver
  • Community palliative care
  • Grief

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