title: Elders' experiences of the death of an adult child.
abstract: The death of a child can result in complicated grief. Thirty-one adults, 60 years of age or older, who lost an adult child, participated in a qualitative study using a focus group format that allowed them to discuss their experience. A hermeneutical approach was used to develop an overall thematic description of what it meant to an older person to lose an adult child. Four major themes emerged: losses, limited influence/decision making power, regrets, and decreased quality of life. Suggested interventions to prevent complicated grief in elders who experienced the death of an adult child include attentive listening, storytelling, and the use of metaphors.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University, School of Nursing, Charleston, West Virginia 25304-1299, USA. msmith@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Marilyn E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Nunley
authors.forename: Patrick L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Hunter
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galligan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*