Anticipatory grief is common in people with a prognosis of six months or less. A person suffering from a terminal illness and their family who are having difficulty accepting end-of-life care can feel this grief months before the expected loss happens. Many would have a hard time understanding anticipatory grief because it’s different from grieving the loss of a person.
It’s more about mourning the possibilities and future experiences that people would have with the person who’s no longer going to live for years. Hospice care is dedicated to helping people and their loved ones with anticipatory grief.
Hospice Care and Anticipatory Grief
Patients with terminal illnesses under palliative care often experience anticipatory grief. Not only them but their family members, caregivers, and friends also go through similar episodes. Hospice care Los Angeles can help them deal with the overwhelming emotions, or lack thereof, due to anticipatory grief.
It’s not a consistent feeling that takes over your entire life unless you experience the loss of your loved one. Anticipatory grief comes and goes with no particular order of what you’ll feel next. Generally, there are four stages of anticipatory grief, and hospice Los Angeles helps understand them with the help of professionals.
The stages are:
Feelings of depression and sadness lead to the acceptance of inevitable death.
Feelings of regret for the person who’s dying. It can be regret over past disagreements or arguments with the loved one they’ll soon lose.
Feelings of anticipation to prepare for the funeral and saying goodbyes before the impending death.
Imagining a possible future without the loved one that they’re about to lose.
Contact Hospice Home Care to Deal with Anticipatory Grief
When you learn about the imminent death of a loved one, you’ll feel anticipatory grief, and it’s better to talk to someone before the feelings overwhelm you. Get in touch with Hospice Home Care professionals and discuss your feelings and emotions with people you can count on.
