PCN-518 Topic 8: Bereavement across the Life Span
Directions: One’s understanding of death and the bereavement process changes over the life span. Using the matrix provided below, summarize how the various stages of life understand death, and how each might grieve the loss of a loved one. Create a short vignette for each age group that expresses your understanding of the age group’s response to death and bereavement. Finally, hypothesize how a professional counselor might counsel each age group through the bereavement process. The first stage has been completed for you as an example.
| Age Group | Perception/Cognition of Grief | Response to Grief | Vignette
(short example/story of a child’s loss scenario) |
Counseling Interventions (including best practice interventions) for this age group) |
| Baby and Toddler | Does not understand the permanency of grief. | Excessive crying and yearning to be held.
|
A baby’s birth mother died during delivery. | Counsel the guardians of the baby to be sure to tend to the baby’s need for touch and comfort. |
| Preschool Age | ||||
| Grade School Age |
|
|||
| Adolescence/Teenage Years | Comprehends death but is caught by surprise. Never thought that death could affect her. | Distant from friends and family, depress, anger, high risk behaviors such as smoking, skipping class, having sex or doing drugs | A friend committed suicide | Encourage the adolescence to express their feelings. Be open and honest with them about the situation. Help them find coping strategies that work. |
| Adulthood | ||||
| Late Adulthood |
[place-order-2]