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How Does Grief Affect Your Health?

We all suffer from bereavement at one time or another.

Your pet dies. You lose a job. Your parent dies. Eventually, everyone we love dies.

You weep…

However, that’s not all that happens when you experience grief.

Symptoms of Grief

Emotional symptoms of grief include depression, anger, helplessness, anxiety, mood swings, and hysteria. Common mental symptoms are forgetfulness, too much or too little sleep, inability to concentrate, confusion, decreased problem-solving ability, low self-image, and self-destructive thoughts. And grief may cause physical symptoms, such as headaches and body aches, chest tightness, fatigue, exhaustion, sensitive skin, dizziness, shortness of breath, increased illness, noise hypersensitivity, heart palpitations, loss of appetite or weight gain.

However, for older people, bereavement and grief may expose them to actual physical danger.

For people age 60 and older, the risk of heart attack or stroke doubles in the month after bereavement and then slowly declines, research indicates. The risk of developing blood clots in the lungs was 2.5 times higher than average.

In people over 65, the activity of neutrophils was diminished. Neutrophils fight bacteria and other infectious agents that could lead to pneumonia and other serious illnesses.

Scientists believe that grief disrupts the balance of two stress hormones, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), among older people. Seniors have more cortisol and less DHEAS after a bereavement, they discovered.

Grief or Disorder?

Most people start feeling a little better by 8 weeks after the bereavement. However, it’s common for older people to hide the extent of their grieving. They’ve been taught not to show emotion. If you believe your parent or older loved one is experiencing prolonged grief, contact their doctor for an assessment.

If you or your loved one continue experiencing symptoms of grief after 8 weeks, it’s best to contact a doctor. Get help, especially if you experience suicidal thoughts, depression or difficulty completing daily tasks for more than 2 months.

Signs of an inability to manage grief include:

  • Unusual lack of hygiene or unkempt appearance
  • Isolation
  • Continuous sadness or apathy
  • Loss of interest in activities the person participated in with the deceased loved one
  • Statements about reuniting with the deceased loved one
  • Actions that show lack of self-care
  • Avoidance of reminders of the loved one’s loss
  • Taking blame for the loved one’s death
  • Preoccupation with the circumstances of the death
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other substances

Grief is not depression, although some of the symptoms are the same. Experts advise that grief should not be treated in the same manner as depression.

How to Help

If you or a loved one is experiencing grief, you can take some simple actions to prevent it from becoming incapacitating.

Talk about it in a positive way. If you’re experiencing grief, get out old love letters or write a letter to your loved one yourself. Start a memorial photo album. If your parent is grief-stricken, talk about their deceased loved one’s funny sayings or habits, go to places they enjoyed, or bring out the family album.

Take it easy. Grief imposes a heavy burden. Lighten your load in other ways.

Use your support system. After a death, many people come by to offer their condolences, drop off food, and give offers of help. However, 6 months later, most people aren’t actively supporting the bereaved person. Call your friends and family and ask them to keep in touch.

Socialize. Get out and be around other people. Volunteer. Get back on social media. Take walks.

Join a support group. Find Group Therapy and Support Groups in Massachusetts. Search Psychology Today therapy groups for Adults, CBT, DBT, Mindfulness (MBCT), Coaching, Anxiety, and more. Your local hospital or hospice will have information about local support groups.

Call a hotline. The national grief recovery hotline number is (800) 445-4808. The suicide hotline—misnamed because it’s also for people who need to talk—is (800) 273-TALK or 1 (800) 273-8255.

We Care

Sometimes, when you’re going through the throes of grief, it’s easy to view the world as uncaring. At The Arbors Assisted Living, we care. We care not only for our residents but for older adults and caregivers. If you are a caregiver for your parent or an older adult, please take a moment to see if any of these informative articles can help.

 

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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-Having “The Talk” With Your Parent: It’s Time for Assisted Living
Talking to your aging parent about moving to an assisted living community isn’t easy.

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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-The Challenges of Aging: How to Handle Your Aging Parent’s Difficult BehaviorsDifficult behaviors in elderly adults are very common. They may be an expression of frustration your loved one feels or a symptom of early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

This guide will provide you with skills and knowledge on how to handle difficult behaviors your aging parent may be experiencing.


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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-Becoming a Family Caregiver: What You Need to Know Before Deciding to Take Care of a Loved One
Becoming a family caregiver can be a rewarding experience. It also has its challenges.

There are many questions to answer before making the decision to take care of a loved one.

This guide will provide answers to questions you may have on this topic.


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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-Helping Your Parent Manage DepressionIs your parent or loved one depressed, or just in a bad mood?

What does medication and illness have to do with depression?

How can you help? In this guide, you will be provided with answers to the difficult questions you may have about depression.


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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-Is It Depression? A Guide to Identifying and Addressing Depression in Aging AdultsHas your aging parent recently lost interest in activities they used to enjoy? Have you noticed a change in their mood and behavior?

This guide will provide you with resources and tools on how to identify depression, what are the common causes of depression, and how to promote mental health in your aging loved one.


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The Arbors Assisted Living-Guide-Assisted Living Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
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Has your dad stopped getting together for lunches or outings with friends or visits with neighbors? Have you stopped enjoying time with your parents because you’re a caregiver?

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Guide-Getting Your Affairs in Order
No one ever plans to be sick or disabled, and disasters, man-made or natural, can happen at any time, anywhere.

Yet older adults are among the most vulnerable during a crisis. That’s why it’s critical that seniors, and those who care for them, prepare for emergencies.


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Guide-Guide to Making the Move to Assisted Living
Moving to assisted living is a life-changing event.

This guide provides tips and ideas on downsizing, what to pack and how to make the transition smooth for your senior parent.


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Guide-Solutions to Common Caregiving ChallengesIn this eBook, you’ll learn how to talk with family and friends about caregiving challenges, how to deal with a parent who is resistant to help, how to get more caregiving help from your siblings, and how to keep your job while caregiving.


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How Moving My Loved One to The Arbors Eliminated My Caregiving ChallengesHave you had to cut back your hours at work to care for your mom? Are you worried about administering medications or injections?

Have you stopped getting together with friends, either because you don’t have the time or you’re too exhausted? Are you becoming the invisible second patient?


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Guide-When is the Right Time for Memory Care?In this guide, you’ll learn about the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, including the early symptoms of dementia; the seven stages of dementia and the symptoms that typically accompany each one; and the signs it’s time to start exploring your memory care options.


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Guide-What to Look for in a Memory Care CommunityIn this guide, you’ll learn about the difference between assisted living and memory care, how healthcare professionals are trained in dementia care, common features of a memory care community, and questions you should ask when exploring your memory care options.


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Guide-Brothers and Sisters
Navigating adult sibling relationships can be a challenge, but coming together for the sake of your parent is important.

In this guide, you’ll learn about common sibling conflicts that arise when caring for parents, strategies for getting siblings on board, and where to turn to for help.


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Guide-The StandoffAssisted living can be a touchy subject. No matter how you approach it, your parent is likely to have objections to something.

As you help them transition to a new stage of life, it helps to be prepared with answers to their questions and concerns.


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Guide-11 Most Common Caregiving Challenges
A Guide to the Most Common Family Caregiver Challenges Associated with Caring for an Aging Parent.

You’ll learn about the true costs of being a family caregiver, common family conflicts that can occur when caring for parents, and some of the unexpected challenges of caregiving.


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Guide-Checklist_ Questions to Ask When Touring an Assisted Living Community
This checklist will help to make sure you are getting the most out of your visit to The Arbors.

The list details what important questions to ask during your visit so you are able to make an enlightened choice and find the best assisted living community for your needs.

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Guide-What is Assisted Living Really LikeIf you’re unsure what Assisted Living looks like in real life, whether there is a difference with nursing homes or a desire to see how community life unfolds, then this guide is exactly what you need.

A guide to discover the Care Team and a Typical Day in Assisted Living.

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