The long goodbye: Grief support after dementia loss

When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, grief often follows. Many have termed dementia the “long goodbye,” which echoes the continuous loss experienced by both the person with dementia and their family members. The person with dementia, as they progress through the seven stages, loses physical abilities along with memories.

Meanwhile, relatives painfully lose their loved one bit by bit and take on the role of caregiver. Unfortunately, this anticipatory grief does not take away the grief that is experienced after the person dies.

The model of MWHC Grief Support Services is to offer support groups based on the relationship to the person who died. Our Continuous Loss Group does this in two ways. First, this is a group for loss of a spouse/partner. Second, all the members of this group have lost their spouse due to dementia.

Losing a loved one to dementia is a unique type of loss because in many ways the person has been lost twice. Many people describe the loss of the person they married, in terms of their personality and physical abilities. Then, when the person dies, the physical body is lost, and secondarily, their role as a caregiver.

The Continuous Loss Grief Support Group addresses the specific challenges of those who began their grief journey years or decades before the death occurred. Additionally, the group members examine the unique challenges of caring for a spouse with dementia and the toll it can take mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially; affects that linger after a spouse dies.

For more information or to join the group, please contact Mary Beaven, Community Bereavement Liaison at 540-205-0502 or mary.beaven@mwhc.com.

See upcoming dates on our events calendar.