Managing Transition: The effects of grief and loss and how to deal with it during periods of transition from Home to Residential Care.  

The psychologic context of loss is different for older Australians, compared with that for younger people. As one naturally ages, loss becomes inevitable as changes occur, and grief is experienced.

Loss occurs at the death of loved ones, friends, and acquaintances, however older people also experience loss and grief as they begin to have diminished ability in daily living activities and a reduced sense of a purpose.

These feelings of loss and grief are further compounded when an older person, can no longer live independently. This can include the loss of their familiar living arrangements, assets like a home or car, the culling of possessions in readiness for moving to residential living, loss of health and mobility, vocational identity and autonomy, as they transition into residential care.

Frontline staff, chaplains and volunteers within the home and community care setting and aged care workers in residential facilities, play a key role in identifying grief and loss and can implement strategies to assist older people to manage these emotions.

This 2hr interactive workshop will provide frontline staff, chaplains and volunteers, the knowledge, and tools to help older people in their care, to deal with grief and loss and tap into their built-in inner resilience to find healing.

Participants will be provided a toolkit of supporting materials and resources for ongoing personal reflection and development.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand grief and loss experienced by the elderly and its effect on the ageing mind and body.
• Explore the different types of grief and loss elderly people experience.
• Identify the different ways grief and loss is presented in the elderly.
• Learn the nine stages to healing grief.
• Apply practical strategies to engage care recipients to deal with their grief and loss and support them through their transition into residential care.
• Learn how to create environments that enable care recipients to tap into their inner resilience to heal their feelings of grief.

Target Audience: Frontline staff, chaplains and volunteers working within community care and residential facilities.

Disclaimer: CHSP Ticket price subsided by SA and NSW Sector Support and Development (SSD) funded by the Australian Department of Health. Although funding for this session has been provided by the Australian Government, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Australian Government.