DEATH OF LOVED ONES
Death of a loved one can be devastating in old age because it’s the only loss that cannot be reversed. Older adults may experience the loss of a spouse, friends, siblings, colleagues, or relatives. Death of a loved one can negatively affect the wellbeing of because the process of grieving may coincide with other age-related illnesses or psychological changes. Older widows tend to experience severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, loss of memory, and difficulties in focusing or concentrating. The loss of a partner, a sibling, or a friend at an old age might also bring back unpleasant memories of earlier losses. In old age, widowed individuals tend to die soon after the death of their spouses because the stress of loss weakens their immune system (Hooyman et al., 2014). Coping to loss of a spouse varies among older widowed people, although after some time, the diverse effects on mental and physical health tend to decline.
Death of a loved one for older adults can lead to disorganization of family roles, daily routines, and responsibilities. The death of a spouse can have one change roles to become the breadwinner or assume other roles of the departed partner. Death of a sibling can also lead to a realignment of family roles and commitments (Hooyman et al., 2014. Losing a loved one in old age can be traumatizing as the death reminds one of past loses and their possible mortality.
Agnes was widowed at the age of sixty-seven years. She was a housewife throughout her marriage, and when his husband died, she was economically unstable. Agnes assumed a new role of fending for herself, and at times she felt overwhelmed and lonely. She could cry herself to sleep, which made her health severely adverse. Agnes’ experience is a reflection of how the death of a spouse can result in the assumption of new roles and responsibilities in old age.
In conclusion, the death of a loved one can be traumatizing for older adults since it brings unpleasant memories of previous losses. Grieving can also coincide with age-related health problems, which can cause death soon after the loss of a loved one.
References
Hooyman, N. R., Kawamoto, K. Y., & Kiyak, H. A. (2014). Aging matters: An introduction to social gerontology. Pearson Higher Ed.