Losing someone we love is a hard and stressful event we are forced to face. It is never easy and can never be but after the last dust settles, we are left to grieve and deal with our painful emotions on our own. This is true for everyone experiencing death within their comfort circle namely their friends and family but believe me, it can be doubly hard for seniors especially if it’s someone close to their heart and had been living with them for some time now.
The next forced leaf is the phase called grieving. This phase is supposed to be the hardest of them all. While it is much easier to deny these hurtful, destroying feelings; it will only prolong the agony and it is much wiser to face, accept and move on. Healthy grieving will give you the peace of mind and put to rest your troubled soul. Moreover, facing grief is kinder to your health.
It is important to know that grief heals on its own but you need to take the first step which is realizing that the death itself is real. Unless you recognize this fact, you won’t be able to start your healthy grieving process. Grieving takes time, usually around a year or so but the earlier you face up to it, the shorter time it will require you. Unfortunately, the ultimate hindrance of healthy grieving is denial, second to that is guilty feelings.
The common misconception of seniors about moving on after a death of loved-one is that they are not being loyal to the dearly departed which is all wrong. Moving on doesn’t mean forgetting them; they will stay within our hearts until the day we die but reality is still reality, and we still have to live with the world.
Pain is natural to human beings. Welcome them and deal with them to the best you can. Repressing them will do no good for seniors like you. If it becomes too unbearable for you, you can always consult your health care provider for some assistance. Remember that pain causes stress and stress is definitely bad for your health. It was even said that stress triggers diseases particularly the life-threatening cancer.
Sometimes, grieving is not intended for the deceased alone; mostly the grieving process is done for the ones they left behind. Change of lifestyle is also a great factor in the grieving process for seniors especially if they are so used to living with the departed one. Try not to dwell with it too much by opening your doors to new experiences and create new memories with your family and friends. Seniors can even join support groups and community events to keep them busy for a while.
Avoid major lifestyle changes as much as possible while in grieving state. Seniors need to take one challenge at a time to be able to function properly. Decisions are not thought off properly under great stress and you might find yourself regretting the things you did afterward.
