The forgotten grievers: Grandparents' reactions to the death of grandchildren

The death of any family member has a profound impact on the whole family system. A substantial body of research has focused on the grief and bereavement of parents. There remains a dearth of empirical evidence concerning grandparents' reactions to the death of grandchildren. The purpose of this study is to describe grandparents' experiences and reactions to the death of a grandchild. The bereavement of grandparents was different from that of parents. Grandparents appeared to grieve as much for their children (i.e., grandchild's parent) as they did for the deceased grandchild.