Losing Someone In Your Care

OBJECTIVE: This article provides a helpful resource for Help at Home employees regarding losing someone in your care.

As a professional caregiver, you develop deep bonds with those in your care, and when they pass away, the grief can be intense, particularly if you’ve cared for that person for an extended time or provided end-of-life care. Yet, you may feel that you must stuff these feelings down and move on to others in your care. Acknowledging your loss is an important first step to helping you move through your grief. Here are additional ways to help you find closure and improve your outlook, allowing you to continue caring for others.

Know you may experience feelings much like a family member who loses a loved one. You may expect to go through the normal stages of grief—denial, guilt, anger and on, to finally, acceptance. Give yourself space and patience as you progress through these stages.

Tap into your support system. Speak with other care workers on your team about strategies they may
have used or search out online members of caregiver support groups.

Do something each day just for yourself that makes you feel good. Focus on activities that renew you. Take a stroll outside, read a good book, listen to music, or turn to a craft project. In addition, remember to eat properly and get a good night’s sleep.

Write out your feelings in a journal. It can be helpful to include something you are grateful for each day.

Keep up with your relationships outside of work. Set dates to meet for a walk, see a movie, have brunch or just get together to chat.

Be alert to the red flags of unresolved grief. You may begin to self-medicate, overeat, isolate from family and friends, feel physically and emotionally exhausted, or lose your sense of self-worth or your interest in your passions. These are clues that it’s time to seek help from a professional counselor.