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Are you aware of the grief caregivers feel after a loss? Do you know how to recognize unresolved grief in yourself as a caregiver for someone with a health issue? Caregivers have unique emotional needs, especially when mourning the loss of a patient. Today we will discuss caregiver grief in terminal illness and bereavement.

Caregivers have compassionate hearts. Can you imagine the grief they feel after spending time taking care of a long term patient?

If you want to know more about grief and loss when you are a caregiver, then listen to this episode of Forever in their Hearts, where host Erik Reynolds interviews Valerie Martell, Director of Operations for Martin Brothers Funeral Services, about caregivers and mourning.

Many families may not consider the needs of the caregiver who has been closed to a loved one with a long term illness. This episode is an opportunity to learn not only how caregivers experience grief, but also tips to help them mourn in healthy ways.

Coping Tools for Grieving Caregivers

The episode kicks off with Valerie acknowledging caregiver grief. At the time of loss, caregiver grief in terminal illness and bereavement is very real and you need to understand they are greiving as well. It’s a very real type of mourning that people experience after losing someone who was in their care.

Next the conversation segues to coping tools that caregivers can use to help deal with the grief they feel after someone who was in their care passes away.

Even though caregivers often aren’t related to the person they’re looking after, they still experience grief. Fortunately there are things they can do to respectfully mourn a loss.

Reinvesting Their Compassion for New Clients

Then Valerie explains how a caregiver can release feelings of grief and reinvest them into compassion for their subsequent patients. She also answer questions such as:

- What protects caregivers from getting hurt from so much loss?
- Is there anything a caregiver can do to diminish their grief?
- Are caregivers limited to caring for long-term patients or clients?

Now ask yourself these two things: Am I a caregiver trying to move through grief? Do I want to know more about grief and loss when you are a caregiver? If you are or know of a caregiver who needs help moving through the stages of grief and mourning, then a call to Martin Brothers may be in order.

The Risk of Burnout from Unresolved Grief

Next Valerie turns to the topic of how a caregiver can recognize if they are experiencing burnout due to unresolved grief.

Valerie uses knowledge from working at the funeral chapel in Vancouver to offer concrete signs to look for when trying to determine burnout from unresolved grief. A caregiver sometimes might recognize these signs in themselves.

There are similar ways to overcome grief, Valerie reminds listeners, regardless if you are a caregiver or a family member or close friend of the deceased.

The episode wraps up with Valerie sharing some final thoughts on the topic including ways to interact with others that might help with grief and loss when you are a caregiver.

Are You Ready to Recognize Grief in the Caregivers?

Do you have a caregiver who is close to your health challenged family member? Are you a caregiver who needs to learn more about self-care to help overcome grief? Listen to the podcast and then share your thoughts below. We look forward to discussing them with you.

Martin Brothers Funeral Services has more than 100 years of experience in providing thoughtful, dedicated services to families dealing with loss. If you are ready to take care of funeral pre-arrangements, have additional questions about their services, or are dealing with a loss, please contact them at their Vancouver office.

Martin Brothers Funeral Services

Vancouver: Funeral Services Centre
3398 Dunbar Street
Vancouver, BC Canada V6S 2C1

Telephone Number: 778.330.7799
Toll Free Number: 1.800.382.2901
Fax Number: 778.330.7633

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartinBrothersFuneralChapelsBcLtd
Twitter: https://twitter.com/martinbrothers1