title: Institutional Bereavement Care for Fictive Kin: Staff Grief in CCRCs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore approaches used by administrators to respond to grief and bereavement among staff after the death of a resident.
  
  
  METHODS
  Continuing care retirement community (CCRC) facilities (n = 10) were randomly selected from a larger study of 31 facilities. Open-ended interviews were conducted using a structured interview protocol. Qualitative methods, specifically thematic analysis, were used to analyze the interview data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emergent themes suggest that LTC facilities have freedom in how to provide support for staff members, family members, and other residents after the death of a loved one. However, results show variations in methods for notifying staff of a resident's death, inclusion of direct care staff in caring for the deceased, providing memorial services, and offering grief/bereavement support. When speaking of the loss of a resident and ways to provide grief/bereavement support, only 3 of the 10 administrators discussed the importance of extending such services to the staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Causes of staff burnout in the CCRC workplace is an unresolved issue. Research has shown that inadequate grief and bereavement support for staff contributes to factors associated with staff burnout and retention. Although administrators hold formal services after a resident has died, there are differences among facilities. It may be that organizations could improve bereavement services for staff.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology & Gerontology, Miami University, Oxford, OH.
authors.forename: Jasleen K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chahal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Electronic address: hewen@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Heidi H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ewen
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Montana, Missoula, MT.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Toni P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Miles
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D002977:Clergy; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D000068217:Social Workers / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States
keywords: Death and dying; emotion regulation; health care and interventions