A Time of Change Presented by: APS Healthcare Southwestern PA Health Care Quality Unit (HCQU)

2 Disclaimer Information or education provided by the HCQU is not intended to replace medical advice from the consumer's personal care physician, existing facility policy or federal, state and local regulations/codes within the agency jurisdiction. The information provided is not all inclusive of the topic presented.

3 Objectives Participant attending this training will: Understand the meaning of grief and loss Recognize the different ways that grief is expressed

4 Why Are We Here Today?

5 What Is “Grief and Loss” To You?

6 Some Causes of Grief and Loss Losing someone you love or care for Having to say good bye to someone you love Living without someone you lived with for a long time

7 People In Our Lives The role of relationships –Provides feelings of: Safety/security Being needed Being loved Belonging Acceptance Having fun

8 Expressing Grief Emotional Physical Behavioral Thought Patterns

9 The Expression of Grief Emotions

10 The Expression of Grief Physical Sensations

11 The Expression of Grief Behavioral Changes

12 The Expression of Grief Thought Patterns

13 Grief and Loss Intense feelings –Sadness –Suffering –Irritability –Anger –Guilt –Fear –Pain on the inside –Lonely

14 What Do You Feel Like Doing When You Feel This Way? Cry Hide our feelings Talk to people we trust Want to be left alone Throw something Run away

15 Remember, It’s OK… To cry To ask questions To want to be left alone To talk about it, as often as you want to To feel confused To want a hug

16 Remember, it’s not your fault

17 You are not alone

18 Some things will stay the same and some things will change

19 It’s good to remember…

20 Grief takes time

21 What Can You Do to Help Yourself Feel Better? Talk to someone you trust Take a moment to realize that you are going through a stressful time Remember the past and think about how it was different than it is right now Listen to your body and respect your own needs (“Gut feelings”) Take time to do something that you enjoy

22 Helping Each Other Cope Be patient Be ready to listen Offer to help each other Understand that everyone may feel differently about the loss Offer specific help

23 Providing each other with understanding, support, compassion, and honesty, will allow us to learn and grow from the grieving experience, and allow us to heal from the loss in our lives.

24 “Grief and pain are the price we humans have to pay for the love and total commitment we have for another person. The more we love, the more we are hurt when we lose the object of our love. But if we are honest with ourselves, would we have it any other way?” C.S. Lewis

25 Journal

26 Balloon Activity

27 For more information on this or any other physical or behavioral health topic, please visit our website at:

28

29 References Coping with Loss-Guide to Grief and Loss. Retrieved May 30, 2007 from website Coping with Death, Grief and Loss. Retrieved May 15, 2007 from website

30 References Coping with Grief and Loss. Retrieved May 27, 2007 from website Doka, Kenneth, PhD. An Introduction to Grieving. Retrieved May 30, 2007 from website

31 Thank You /JLM