Grief, loss and dementia

Our intimate and family relationships are complex. Living with dementia increases this complexity, so relationships need to be reframed and constantly renegotiated as dementia progresses. The dementia journey is different for everyone and is influenced by a range of factors. Each individual with dementia, their carer/s and family will experience different challenges as dementia progresses and relationships change. This is not a linear process; it is unpredictable.

When a loved one dies we mourn our loss. We take comfort in the rituals that mark the passing, and we turn to those around us for support. But what happens when there is no closure, when a family member or a friend who may be still alive is lost to us nonetheless? How, for example, does the mother whose soldier son is missing in action, or the family of an Alzheimer's patient who is suffering from severe dementia, deal with the uncertainty surrounding this kind of loss? In this sensitive and lucid account, Pauline Boss explains that, all too often, those confronted with such ambiguous loss fluctuate between hope and hopelessness.

Organized into fifty-two short chapters, Bearing the Unbearable is a companion for life's most difficult times, revealing how grief can open our hearts to connection, compassion, and the very essence of our shared humanity. Dr. Joanne Cacciatore—bereavement educator, researcher, Zen priest, and leading counselor in the field—accompanies us along the heartbreaking path of love, loss, and grief. Through moving stories of her encounters with grief over decades of supporting individuals, families, and communities—as well as her own experience with loss—Cacciatore opens a space to process, integrate, and deeply honor our grief.

With love, our neurons help us form attachments to others; but, with loss, our brain must come to terms with where our loved ones went, or how to imagine a future without them.
The Grieving Brain addresses: Why it's so hard to understand that a loved one has died and is gone forever, Why grief causes so many emotions—sadness, anger, blame, guilt, and yearning, Why grieving takes so long, The distinction between grief and prolonged grief, Why we ruminate so much after we lose a loved one, How we go about restoring a meaningful life while grieving

Giving an accessible introduction to modern day grief theory, this book is the perfect guide to grief for counsellors, anyone wishing to support the bereaved, or the griever curious to how their grief works. Debunking commonly believed myths with information on how grief can vary from person to person, advice on communicating with the bereaved and details on the different kinds of grief, this book is an essential read for anyone working with the bereaved.

For anyone who has experienced a significant loss, this wonderfully informative and accessible book is a guide to understanding and overcoming grief. The death of someone close — a familiy member, spouse, or partner — can result in feelings of overwhelming grief. At the same time, society unrealistically expects people to recover from grief as quickly as possible. I Can't Stop Crying looks at grieving as a painful but necessary process. The authors emphasize the importance of giving permission to grieve and suggest steps for rebuilding life without the one who is gone. They also look at how such a loss affects relationships with family and friends, as well as lifestyle, work habits, and hopes for the future. The book includes an appendix with bereavement groups, resources, and other self-help organizations for grievers.

The author poses a new approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. She debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, "happy" life, replacing it with a middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it.
Also available as audioBook

This resource is meant primarily to help you, as a caregiver, gain a better understanding of how loss and grief can affect you and the person with dementia. It also provides valuable information to help people with dementia deal with their own losses and grief, and live as well as possible with the disease

Under the rose bush is a short story which explores a touching relationship between a young girl and her grandmother who develops Alzheimers disease.
Sarah and her Granny are great friends. They spend a lot of time playing and learning together, gradually Sarah notices changes in her Granny. Sarah learns to adjust to the situation as her grandmother ages. Her story provides a sense of optimism despite the grief of eventually losing her beloved grandmother.

A poetic picture book about being able to say goodbye to those we love, while holding them in memory.

This book addresses the challenges teenagers may face when a family member has dementia. Provides ways to understand and deal with feelings of helplessness, anger, and grief.