There is nothing about losing someone that is easy, regardless of the age of the deceased or the circumstances of their passing, but losing your significant other after many years together could perhaps be one of the most challenging situations. If you are concerned that an elderly relative is taking the passing of their significant other really hard, it is wise to give them plenty of attention. Otherwise happy people can be completely inebriated by grief after losing a partner in life. There are a few telltale indicators you should be on the lookout for with your elderly relative which are obvious signs that grief counseling should be sought.
Your elderly loved one shows signs of hostility, anger, and frustration.
Feeling angry is just one of the many natural stages of grief, but if you experience extreme bouts of hostility or anger from an elderly individual and the behavior persists for more than a few days, they may need to speak to a grief counselor. The individual may be feeling angry at the situation, but they could direct their anger and frustration toward you and the rest of the family. Through counseling, they will gain a better sense of peace with the loss of their partner and work to overcome their feelings of anger.
The individual refuses to talk about their significant other.
It can be difficult to talk about someone you have just recently lost, but most people can find some comfort in conversing about happy memories that were shared while the person was still alive. If your elderly family member refuses to talk about their significant other or avoids conversations about them at all with the rest of the family, it is definitely a sign that they are emotionally struggling with grief. In these instances, group therapy in grief counseling sessions can be helpful.
Your loved one is showing signs of prolonged, complicated grief.
The sadness that comes along with losing your life partner may linger, but the majority of the primary grieving period should be over after a while. If it has been a year or more since your elderly family member has lost their significant other and they are still showing signs of tremendous grief, it could mean they are suffering from prolonged, complicated grieving. You may notice that they are refusing to get back to their normal routine, may have negative changes in their health, and are still obviously struggling to come to terms with the loss.
To learn more about grief counseling, contact a company like Brown Funeral Home.
