The geriatric population typically refers to the population above the age of 60- 65. Grief is commonly observed in this age group, who are especially vulnerable to it (Malik et al., 2021). With age comes a lot of responsibility, followed by mental and physical health challenges. As one crosses the age of 65 (senior citizen), mental health concerns like loneliness, worry, anxiety about health, family, losing loved ones and more. Concerns about physical health creep in as well, making this age frame more vulnerable to grief. This article explores what grief means, how grief can come up in people aged 60-65 and above, along with a couple of remedies for subjective well-being to cope better.
Read More: Understanding Grief: Navigating the Complex Emotions, Cognitions, and Behaviors
What is Grief?
In the simplest words, grief refers to an extreme feeling of sadness. Grief counselling then refers to ways to cope with grief with the assistance of professional help by mental health practitioners (Gupta, 2024b). There are five core stages to grief, and how a human copes with grief, with the elderly being especially vulnerable to it. Kubler-Ross further explored them. These are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance (LPC/MHSP, 2023). There are a few reasons why grief is felt in the geriatric population. Let’s explore them in more detail below.
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Reasons for Grief in the Geriatric Population
1. Social and Environmental Factors
Psychologically, there are a few core reasons why grief shows up a lot more in this age group. Social and environmental factors are the first. Here, loneliness and neglect are the main ones tied up with ageism (World Health Organisation: WHO, 2023). Often with age, elders lose their near and dear ones, their family and friends. Children and families might move away and making them feel isolated.
This can lead to increased dependence on caretakers and their remaining closest people. Unfortunately, neglect can follow. Social abuse, mental abuse, like alienation, lack of empathy and proper care can result in depression and grief. Any kind of verbal, mental, or even physical abuse can lead to severe impacts on them. Social isolation, lack of purpose, loss of independence, acceptance of changed appearance and more. This can result in anxiety, depression, anger, instability, eventually putting one through the stages of coping with grief, and eventually to acceptance of the truth.
2. Physical Health Concerns
Physical health ailments can lead to increased morbidity and reliance on financial aid. Health ailments like heart disease and respiratory issues, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, impaired brain functioning, like hypertension, muscle and bone degeneration and other chronic diseases. This also means increased care and feelings of guilt for asking for help and feeling helpless at times (Sidik et al., 2004).
3. Mental Health and Ageing
Mental health ailments like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and others are seen. Overall, increased functional dependence was seen in the study conducted in 2004 via the ECAQ- Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (Sidik et al., 2004). This, paired with loss of loved ones, isolation, FOMO, lack of self-image and fear of ageing in itself, can result in deteriorated mental health. Things like emotional regulation, anticipatory grief are important to take note of. ‘
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Emotional Regulation and Coping
Here we shall explore the five stages of coping with grief and how emotional regulation takes place in the geriatric population (LPC/Mhsp, 2023).
- Denial: Here, one tries to completely avoid and deny the grief. Any type of loss or intense pain, and practically avoiding processing the overwhelming feeling.
- Anger: As the name suggests, in this next stage, of feels angry. To face reality and feel the emotions come to the surface. Often feelings of hate and anger for the loss being faced, whether that of a person, freedom, joy or anything of that kind. This can result in increased stress that affects mental and physical health.
- Bargaining: Rooted in the feelings of helplessness, one resorts to bargaining for a better reality. This can often look like praying to god if things were different, other sources of sadness or challenges instead of the reality at hand.
- Depression: Although this isn’t limited to an age group, this next stage often is closer to acceptance of the harsh truth and sitting with the sadness and depth of pain. This can affect a person’s well-being significantly with increased anxiety, ailments and severe sadness. This is then one of the toughest stages of coping with grief.
- Acceptance: As the name suggests, here is where the person finally accepts the situation and tries to sit through that feeling. Being more in the present, although feelings of sadness and pain can accompany it.
Read More: Losing Them Before They’re Gone: Understanding Anticipatory Grief in Adult Children
What can help?
Grief counselling, especially, can be of a lot of help and relief. It helps people cope better with loss. There are several techniques of grief counselling like CBT, ACT, group therapy, art therapy, play therapy and a lot more(Gupta, 2024c).
Read More: Geropsychology in India: Addressing Cognitive Decline, Loneliness, and Ageism
Conclusion
In addition to this, staying close with your loved ones, finding time for hobbies, favourite food, and travel in any capacity possible, and taking care of yourself in a time like this can feel soothing. Though reality can always be changed, seeking help when needed is so normal and can actually be helpful and eventually comforting.
FAQs
1. What are the reasons for grief in the geriatric population?
Often with age, elders lose their near and dear ones. Children and families might move away and making them feel isolated. This can lead to increased dependence on caretakers. Mental and physical health challenges can follow.
2. What can help?
Several techniques of grief counselling, like CBT, ACT, group therapy, art therapy, play therapy, etc, can be of help.
References +
Malik, C., Khanna, S., Jain, Y., & Jain, R. (2021). Geriatric population in India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(1), 72–76. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1794_20
Lpc/Mhsp, J. C. M. (2023, December 7). How the Five Stages of Grief Can Help Process a Loss. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/five-stages-of-grief-4175361
Gupta, S. (2024b, March 11). What is grief counselling? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-grief-counseling-5189153
World Health Organisation: WHO. (2023, October 20). Mental health of older adults. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults
Sidik, S. M., Rampal, L., & Afifi, M. (2004, January 1). Physical and mental health problems of the elderly in a rural community of Sepang, Selangor. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3438151/
