In: Nursing
J. W. Worden identifies four tasks in grieving: accept the loss,
acknowledge the pain of the loss, adjust to a new environment and
reinvest in the reality of a new life. The tasks of grief are not
states of achievement but a fluctuating process to accommodate a
new normal lifestyle without what was lost.
Task 1: Accept the Reality of the Loss
Grief is a natural process of life.
There is a time for every purpose: give and take away, weep and
laugh, mourn and dance. No one likes to lose something or someone.
The foundation of spiritual care begins with acceptance final
control rests in the hands of someone greater. Mourning is the
process of remembering, memorializing, and laying the loved one to
rest. Bereavement activity about the loss to which one is trying to
adapt means healing a broken heart.
Task 2: Experience the Pain of the Grief
Grief is experienced emotionally, cognitively, physically, and
spiritually.
People may be telling you: “Get over it; move on; be strong.” In
contrast, one of the aims of grief support groups is to encourage
and facilitate the safe expression of all the natural grief
reactions.
Task 3: Adjust to an Environment without the Deceased
External adjustments include taking on responsibilities and
learning new skills.
Internal adjustments are made as you adapt to your new
identity.
Spiritual adjustments occur as you grapple with questions about
your belief system and the purpose and meaning of life.
Task 4: Withdraw Emotional Energy and Reinvest It in Other
Relationships
Gradually you create a balance between remembering the person who
died and living a full and meaningful life.