The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
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Am J Geriatr Psychiatry · Aug 2008
Multicenter StudyHealth care proxy grief symptoms before the death of nursing home residents with advanced dementia.
The loss experienced by family members of dementia patients before their actual death is known as "predeath grief." This study's objectives were to identify and describe factors associated predeath grief symptoms among health care proxies (HCPs) of nursing home (NH) residents with advanced dementia, and distinguish grief symptoms from those of depression. ⋯ Family members of NH residents with advanced dementia experience predeath grief symptoms, particularly separation distress. Predeath grief symptoms are associated with, but distinct from, those of depression. Several factors identified HCPs at higher risk for predeath grief and who may benefit from early interventions to reduce suffering.