Grief Reactions in the Elderly:

The elderly accumulate losses suddenly, in rapid succession, with agonizing repetition, and in great volume. People in mourning are usually offered sympathy, care, and attention by others, however, the elderly may entirely miss this healthy opportunity to mourn. Grief reactions in the elderly often follow the so-called "devious patterns of grief" and are masked in the costumes of other symptom clusters. These reactions may appear to be physical ailments, anxiety syndromes, and even senile dementia. The practitioner's evaluation and treatment approach is then often misdirected at the masquerading diagnosis while the underlying etiology of grief remains undetected. Also mitigating against proper diagnosis is the ironic fact that due to their significant longevity, the elderly are often expected to simply "grin and bear" their losses. Many families and practitioners believe that grieving is not relevant to the aged. It goes largely unappreciated that the elderly respond to loss instinctively as people rather than as consciously old. As losses accrue with age, remaining attachments become increasingly valued and are given up only begrudgingly. Seemingly nondescript personal objects generate intense emotions in the elderly when loss occurs, since they may serve as surrogate relatives and are potent reminders of previously lost important people. The author reviews grief reactions relevant to the elderly and suggest diagnostic aids and treatment approaches.