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Dementia (London) 2019 Feb 20:1471301219831530. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.

Background And Aim: The European Association of Palliative Care recommends that family carers need education on the progression of dementia. This systematic review aimed to explore whether interventions incorporating education regarding the progressive nature of dementia increased carers' understanding of dementia and improved mental health and burden.

Method: MEDLINE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched to April 2018. Read More

Res Involv Engagem 2019 1;5. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

1Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

In recent years, there has been a global call to reduce the numbers of preventable stillbirths and increase public awareness about the incidence and impact of pregnancy loss. The lived experiences of bereaved parents have much to contribute to developing the research agenda and clinical care in pregnancy loss. The multidisciplinary Pregnancy Loss Research Group (PLRG) based at the INFANT Centre at University College Cork and Cork University Maternity Hospital, has an established practice of active engagement and participation of patient members. Read More

Palliat Support Care 2019 Feb 4:1-6. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Wurzweiler School of Social Work,Yeshiva University,New York, NY.

Objective: Palliative social workers have taken steps to increase the numbers of social workers trained and competent to deliver effective psychosocial palliative care. Despite these developments, masters of social work (MSW) programs have only begun to develop curricula preparing students for entry-level practice. This study sought to determine the type and extent of content areas included in MSW courses dedicated to palliative care or with content related to palliative care practice. Read More

Omega (Westport) 2018 Dec 17:30222818819339. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

2 School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

This study explores experiences of pregnancy loss via a questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of 48 Australian cisgender heterosexual men. The questionnaire included measures of support following pregnancy loss, recognition of loss, perceived utility of help-seeking, perceived stigma attached to help-seeking, perinatal grief, and depression and anxiety. The questionnaire also included open-ended questions focused on help-seeking and support. Read More

Eur J Psychotraumatol 2018 16;9(1):1544026. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Division of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

: Along with the implementation of the one-child policy in China, a special group of bereaved parents called 'shiduer' (), meaning parents bereaved by the loss of their only child, emerged. Although previous research has examined the physical and psychological health of this population, individual differences in physical and psychological outcomes are still not well understood. : This study aimed to identify heterogenous subgroups of Chinese bereaved parents who lost their only child based on the physical and psychological health of this population as well as the predictive factors of each subgroup. Read More

Pilot Feasibility Stud 2018 31;4:165. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

9Faculty of Nursing Level 3, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, University of Alberta, 11405 87 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9 Canada.

Background: Following institutionalization of a relative with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD), family carers continue to provide care. They must learn to negotiate with staff and navigate the system all of which can affect their mental health. A web-based intervention, My Tools 4 Care-In Care (MT4C-In Care) was developed by the research team to aid carers through the transitions experienced when their relative/friend with ADRD resides in a long-term care (LTC) facility. Read More

J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2018 Oct/Dec;32(4):E3-E10

Women's Hospital (Ms de Castro de Oliveira), University of Campinas (Drs Silva and Carmona), Sao Paulo, Brazil; and UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (Dr Cleveland and Ms Darilek).

The purpose of palliative care (PC) is to minimize suffering and improve quality of life. Although PC has been well studied, the experience of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses in Brazil, where little PC training is provided, requires further investigation. The objective of this study was to explore the PC experiences of Brazilian NICU nurses. Read More

Omega (Westport) 2018 Nov 21;78(1):24-42. Epub 2016 Nov 21.

1 Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

This study explores how Danish students experience returning to school following parental bereavement. Eighteen focus group interviews with 39 participants aged 9 to 17 years were conducted. All participants had experienced the loss of a primary caregiver. Read More

Death Stud 2018 Oct 4:1-11. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

a Department of Education, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea.

This study aims to identify parenting experiences after the death of a child. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, we mapped the experiences of 16 parents with school-aged surviving children after the death of their sibling to the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster in South Korea. Interviews illuminate five master themes of parenting surviving children following a child's death: (a) parental anxiety, (b) conflicts and obstacles in the parent-child relationship, (c) changes in parenting style, (d) striving to support children's grief, and (e) seeking outside help for parenting. Read More

Sch Psychol Q 2018 Sep;33(3):381-389

Department of Teacher Education, School of Education, Georgian Court University.

Prior research shows that many teachers feel ill-equipped to deal with students experiencing loss, and teachers of Black male adolescents, in particular, sometimes mistake grieving for misbehavior. This multimethod case study investigated the way teachers and their Black male students at a single-sex school related around encounters with loss. We examined students' and teachers' grief experiences through stories that were shared during qualitative interviews and focus group meetings and by observing everyday interactions throughout the school building. Read More

Br Educ Res J 2018 Aug 20;44(4):593-607. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Manchester Metropolitan University UK.

It is well established that having a parent with any illness or disability can have an adverse effect on individuals' experiences of education and on their educational progress. Advances in medical knowledge are leading to more people under 65 being diagnosed with young onset dementias and, concomitantly, to more children and young people who are in education having a parent with this diagnosis. Hardly any research has asked these young people directly about their experiences, but the limited evidence suggests that there will likely be significant emotional, mental and psychological damage with enduring impact on their lives. Read More

J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care 2018 Aug 15:1-9. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

c Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine , University of Florida Health , Gainesville , Florida , USA.

Bereavement services are often provided as components of hospice and palliative care plans, including emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support provided to individuals and families to assist with grief, loss, and adjustment after the death of a loved one. Patient- and family-centered care is a hallmark of palliative care. Moreover, bereavement counseling is offered as a hospice care benefit that is covered by Medicare and various private insurance plans. Read More

BJOG 2019 Jan 17;126(1):12-21. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

School of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Background: Stillbirth has a profound impact on women, families, and healthcare workers. The burden is highest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is need for respectful and supportive care for women, partners, and families after bereavement. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Sep;15(9):1083-1091

4 CRISMA Center, Department of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine.

Individuals acting as surrogate decision makers for critically ill patients frequently struggle in this role and experience high levels of long-term psychological distress. Prior interventions designed to improve the sharing of information by the clinical team with surrogate decision makers have demonstrated little effect on surrogates' outcomes or clinical decisions. In this report, we describe the study protocol and corresponding intervention fidelity monitoring plan for a multicenter randomized clinical trial testing the impact of a multifaceted surrogate support intervention (Four Supports) on surrogates' psychological distress, the quality of decisions about goals of care, and healthcare use. Read More

Psychol Serv 2019 Feb 30;16(1):75-84. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina.

Military families experience unique stressful circumstances such as frequent moves, service-related physical and mental health difficulties, and separation from support. Although many families exhibit high resilience in response to these stressors, military children are at an increased risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties, exposure to intimate partner violence, and child maltreatment. These potential problems not only affect child functioning, but often also negatively impact family and veteran outcomes. Read More

Omega (Westport) 2018 Jan 1:30222818786416. Epub 2018 Jan 1.

1 Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Community health care should facilitate effective adaptation to widowhood. In South Africa, the primary health-care nurses, who are the first-line health-care services, seem to miss opportunities for identifying and effectively managing widows experiencing health risks. This study explored the health-support needs of widows. Read More

Curr Alzheimer Res 2018 ;15(11):1027-1031

International Centre for Healthcare and Medical Education, King`s Wood Centre, Colchester CO45JY, United Kingdom.

Background: Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) often experience feelings of lack of support and information from specialists when operating in real scenarios, inclusive of old-age psychiatric wards, care homes, community, and patient's home.

Objective: AD caregivers can provide narrative about what issues need to be addressed in Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture real-time and real-scenario needs in AD caregiving, and Ecological Momentary Interventions (EMI) as online e-learning to assist in areas of concerns.

Method: Twelve focus group discussions took place with AD caregivers for a total of 62 people interviewed. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2018 09 6;267:221-227. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Division of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Bereavement may trigger different psychological outcomes, such as prolonged grief disorder or post-traumatic growth. The relationship between these two outcomes and potential precipitators remain unknown. The current study aimed to identify classes of Chinese bereaved individuals based on prolonged grief symptoms and post-traumatic growth and to examine predictors for these classes. Read More

Midwifery 2018 Sep 7;64:53-59. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

CiaoLapo Onlus, Charity for Stillbirth and Perinatal Grief Support, Prato, Italy; International Stillbirth Alliance, Bristol, UK; Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NeuroFarBa), University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Firenze, Italy. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess current practices of health care providers (HCPs) caring for women experiencing a stillbirth and to explore their needs for training to better support bereaved families.

Design: Nationwide cross-sectional survey. The main outcome measures were the evaluation of HCPs cognition, emotions and behaviours with regard to the care of women with a stillbirth care, as well as their compliance with international guidelines. Read More

J Relig Health 2019 Feb;58(1):303-316

Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of nurses working in two university hospitals located in the west and east of Turkey toward care of dying individual as well as religious and cultural factors that influence their attitudes. The descriptive and comparative study was conducted with a total of 189 nurses who were working in adult inpatient clinics of two university hospitals in western (101 nurses) and eastern (88 nurses) Turkey between July and November 2016. The data were obtained by using the questionnaire and Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Scale. Read More

Ann Palliat Med 2018 Apr;7(Suppl 2):S52-S72

Peguis Home and Community Care, Peguis First Nation, Manitoba, Canada.

Background: The Indigenous people of Canada include First Nations, Inuit and Metis. This research focused on four diverse First Nations communities located in Ontario and Manitoba. First Nations communities have well-established culturally-based social processes for supporting their community members experiencing dying, loss, grief and bereavement. Read More

BMC Geriatr 2018 05 11;18(1):114. Epub 2018 May 11.

Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Background: Pre-death grief (PDG) is a key challenge faced by caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory (MM-CGI) and its abbreviated MM-CGI-Short-Form (MM-CGI-SF) are among the few empirically-developed scales that detect PDG. However, they have not had a Mandarin-Chinese version even though Chinese-speaking populations have among the largest number of PWD. Read More

Dementia (London) 2018 Jan 1:1471301218774937. Epub 2018 Jan 1.

School of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

Background It is widely reported that carers who provide care for a family member with dementia endure physical and psychological burdens. Not only do they fulfil an important role for the person with dementia but also for the wider society. This study aims to explore the experiences of carers who provide end-of-life care for a person with late-stage dementia at home. Read More

Disabil Rehabil 2018 Apr 26:1-6. Epub 2018 Apr 26.

a Jewish General Hospital , Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research , Montréal , Canada.

Purpose: Peer-facilitated support groups are an important resource for people with scleroderma, but little is known about challenges faced by support group facilitators. The objective was to identify training and support needs of scleroderma support group facilitators to inform the development of an educational training program.

Methods: A 32-item survey assessed confidence of support group facilitators to execute tasks necessary for successfully facilitating support groups. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jul 14;115:e299-e304. Epub 2018 Apr 14.

Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for General Education, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.

Objective: Dealing with the empty space after organ removal for transplantation has not been investigated.

Methods: From January 28, 2005, to November 21, 2017, 111 organ donors were enrolled in this study. They were divided into 3 groups: no replacement, replaced with paper printed with organ graphics, or replaced with 3-dimensional (3D) printed simulated organs. Read More

Palliat Support Care 2018 Feb 26:1-8. Epub 2018 Feb 26.

Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Coimbra,Coimbra,Portugal.

Objective: The issues surrounding a patient's terminal phase of cancer and the imminent death of the individual represent a major family crisis affecting all its members. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of psychological morbidity in family caregivers of persons with terminal cancer in terms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, somatization, and complicated anticipatory grief, and to determine which factors may influence these responses.

Method: One hundred and twelve family caregivers of individuals with terminal cancer completed an assessment protocol comprising the Brief Symptom Inventory (depression, anxiety, somatization, and a computed score for global distress), the Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory - Short Form (anticipatory grief), the Family Inventory of Needs (importance and satisfaction of needs), and the Systemic Clinical Outcome Routine Evaluation -15 (family functioning). Read More

Can J Crit Care Nurs 2017 May;28(1):21-29

Background: Death is a common occurrence in intensive care units (IC Us) and the complexity of care makes it difficult for nurses to find a balance between the patient's physical needs and the family's emotional needs, especially in circumstances of unexpected death. Cumulative or unresolved grief for families can have lasting negative repercussions. Nurses, therefore, need access to bereavement education in order to provide optimal- bereavement support. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017 12 8;14(12). Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Department of Health Service, College of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.

PTSD is considered the most common negative psychological reactions among survivors following an earthquake. The present study sought to find out the determinants of PTSD in earthquake survivors using a systematic meta-analysis. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycInfo) were used to search for observational studies about PTSD following earthquakes. Read More

Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2018 04 16;23(2):150-154. Epub 2017 Dec 16.

Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Genetics Education and Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

For many pregnant women, prenatal testing is a routine component of contemporary pregnancy care. Receiving a prenatal diagnosis is frequently associated with intense feelings of shock and grief; the extent of which may be unrelated to the pregnancy gestation or the condition diagnosed. During this time of crisis, parents are often faced with important choices about their pregnancy. Read More

Palliat Support Care 2017 Dec 20:1-5. Epub 2017 Dec 20.

The Department of Caring Sciences,Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre,Stockholm,Sweden.

Objective: Many bereaved siblings have still not come to terms with their grief many years after the loss, but few studies have focused on what can help. The aims of this study were to identify cancer-bereaved adolescents' and young adults' ways of coping with grief after loss of a sibling, and examine whether these ways of coping were related to their experience of having worked through their grief.

Method: This nationwide survey of 174 cancer-bereaved siblings (73% participation rate) is based on one open-ended question about coping with grief ("What has helped you to cope with your grief after your sibling's death?") and one closed-ended question about siblings' long-term grief ("Do you think you have worked through your grief over your sibling's death?"). Read More

AACN Adv Crit Care 2017 ;28(4):366-374

Linda M. Tamburri is Clinical Nurse Specialist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, One Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Adverse events may cause a patient serious harm or death; the patient becomes the first victim of these events. The health care providers who become traumatized by the events are the second victims. These second victims experience feelings such as guilt, shame, sadness, and grief, which can lead to profound personal and professional consequences. Read More

Bull World Health Organ 2017 Dec 31;95(12):842-847. Epub 2017 Oct 31.

Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Problem: Reported levels of mental health and psychosocial problems rose during the 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Sierra Leone.

Approach: As part of the emergency response, existing plans to create mental health units within the existing hospital framework were brought forward. A nurse-led mental health and psychosocial support service, with an inpatient liaison service and an outpatient clinic, was set up at the largest government hospital in the country. Read More

J Intellect Disabil Res 2017 12 18;61(12):1130-1139. Epub 2017 Oct 18.

Jockey Club Rehabilitation Complex, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Hong Kong.

Background: Individuals with ID are often withheld information about the death of their loved ones as it has often been thought that they do not understand death or cannot grieve. This grief exacerbates the stress of individuals with ID as they often encounter secondary losses such as transitioning to a care facility. The aim of this study is to investigate men and women with ID understanding death concepts and to what extent. Read More

J Pain Symptom Manage 2018 Feb 10;55(2):368-378. Epub 2017 Oct 10.

Department of Clinical Research and Education, Child and Adolescent Health Services, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Context: The investigation of the situation of bereaved family caregivers following caregiving during the end-of-life phase of illness has not received enough attention.

Objectives: This study investigated the extent to which using the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT) intervention during the caregiving period has affected bereaved family caregivers' perceptions of adequacy of support, their grief and well-being, and achievement of their preferred place of death.

Method: All family caregivers who participated in a stepped-wedge cluster trial of the CSNAT intervention in Western Australia (2012-2014) and completed the pre-bereavement study (n = 322) were invited to take part in a caregiver survey by telephone four to six months after bereavement (2015). Read More

Acad Med 2017 12;92(12):1668-1670

R. Charon is professor, Department of Medicine, and executive director, Program in Narrative Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York; ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6003-5219.

The author notes the impressive growth in medical humanities programs, scholarly journals, textbooks, and national and international conferences as well as the convening of two recent national forums or boards addressing the potential of the humanities and the arts to improve medical practice. She also notes that the field of medical humanities seems to have shifted from addressing topics on the margins of medical education to equipping students with the foundational skills required for effective doctoring. This Invited Commentary proposes a number of personal, relational, and interpretive consequences to rigorous training in the humanities or the arts that might lead to improvement in the skills of doctoring. Read More

Pediatr Ann 2017 Sep;46(9):e345-e351

During the past century, child life programming has evolved into a standard of care for children experiencing life's most challenging events. From pediatric outpatient clinics and dentists' offices to funeral homes and courtrooms, children are now being provided access to professionals that relieve the anxiety and fear associated with emotional and physical pain. Recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics, child life specialists focus on the "strengths and sense of well-being of children while promoting their optimal development and minimizing the adverse effects of children's experiences in health care or other potentially stressful settings. Read More

Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul 2017 30;4:18. Epub 2017 Aug 30.

School of Applied Psychology, Cork Enterprise Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is challenging for family members who are often required to fulfil multiple roles such as those of advocate, caregiver, coach and guardian. To date, two uncontrolled studies by the treatment developers suggest that Family Connections (FC) is an effective programme to support, educate and teach skills to family members of individuals with BPD. However, such studies have been limited by lack of comparison to other treatment approaches. Read More

J Pain Symptom Manage 2017 09 13;54(3):273-279. Epub 2017 Jul 13.

Department of Palliative Nursing, Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.

Context: Few studies have explored the clinical significance of the family's presence or absence at the moment of a patient's death and meaningful communication (saying "goodbye") in terms of post-bereavement outcomes.

Objectives: To explore the potential association between the family's depression/complicated grief and their presence at the moment of a patient's death and the patient's communication with the family.

Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted on 965 family members of cancer patients who had died at palliative care units. Read More

Palliat Support Care 2018 08 13;16(4):375-387. Epub 2017 Jul 13.

School of Sociology, Social Policy, and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast,NorthernIreland,United Kingdom.

ABSTRACTObjective:Provision of bereavement support is an essential component of palliative care service delivery. While bereavement support is integral to palliative care, it is typically insufficiently resourced, under-researched, and not systematically applied. Our aim was to develop bereavement standards to assist palliative care services to provide targeted support to family caregivers. Read More

BMJ 2017 07 6;358:j2854. Epub 2017 Jul 6.

Palliative Care Education and Training, Stanford Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, Stanford Ethnogeriatrics and Successful Aging Portal, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; and Palliative Care Services, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.

Gerontologist 2018 03;58(2):e150-e159

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.

Background And Objectives: Coping with predeath grief (PDG) is an unmet need in caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). The Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory (MM-CGI) and its abbreviated MM-CGI-Short-Form (MM-CGI-SF) are among the few empirically developed scales that detect PDG, yet they have not been substantially validated outside United States. We evaluated the reliability and validity of the PDG scales in a multiethnic Asian population distinct from that of United States. Read More

J Trauma Stress 2017 06 6;30(3):209-218. Epub 2017 Jun 6.

UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Most mental health services for trauma-exposed children and adolescents were not originally developed for refugees. Information is needed to help clinicians design services to address the consequences of trauma in refugee populations. We compared trauma exposure, psychological distress, and mental health service utilization among children and adolescents of refugee-origin, immigrant-origin, and U. Read More

Omega (Westport) 2017 Jan 1:30222817710879. Epub 2017 Jan 1.

3 Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

The death of a loved one is ultimately a universal experience. However, conventional interventions employed for people suffering with uncomplicated grief have gathered little empirical support. The present study aimed to explore the potential effects of ayahuasca on grief. Read More