Center for Grief Education & Support

Seasons Hospice

Death of a Loved One $37.5 billionFamily Crisis $ 9.02 billionDeath of a Close Friend, Colleague, or Extended Family $7.04 billionPet Loss $2.4 billionMajor Lifestyle Alterations $2.4 billion

The Grief Recovery Institute Educational Foundation, Inc. -- 2003

We live in a “grief denying” culture

Grief is taboo, closeted subject

Pain and suffering are not acceptable states of being, and so are avoided and/or “treated”

Society is secularized; decrease in reliance on a religious framework to cope with loss and grief, decrease in rituals and community support

“Blessed are those who grieve quickly and efficiently for they meet the criteria for managed care.”

Minimize the grief

Shame

Avoid

Cliches

Bereavement

Grief

Mourning

Bereavement is the objective event of loss.

A relationship with someone or something that is valued

A loss occurs

A feeling of deprivation occurs

Loss is always personal. No one can decide what constitutes a loss to another person.

Significant RelationshipsPossessions

SelfDevelopmental

History of LossBirth

Today__________________________/________________________

Grief is the reaction to loss

Natural, internal response to loss

Universal, dynamic, invisible, genderless, ageless, non-linear, cumulative and endless

Experienced physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually

Involves a continual process of adjustment

Physical Indigestion, headaches, sleep disturbance

Mental Short-term memory loss, confusion

Emotional Mood swings, short fuse, guilt

Social Isolation

Spiritual Anger at God, “Why” questions

Mourning is the processes of coping with grief

External expression of grief

Defined by beliefs, attitudes, traditions, culture, religion, gender, age

Influenced by the relationship with the person or object, mode of loss, previous loss

experience, personality and social variables, and concurrent stressors

Unique, visible process

Roles that a loved one fulfilled in one’s life

Roles that one specifically fulfilled in a loved one’s life

Personal role changes

Relationship role changes

Everyday lifeExperience

Focus on past Focusing on future Processing the primary loss Processing the secondary lossAccepting the reality of the loss Adjusting to a different environmentWorking through the pain of grief Relocating your loss in your life

Restoration-oriented

Attention to life changes

Loss-Oriented Grief work

A loss is one of the most difficult situations faced

by employees, co-workers and the workplace.

NHPCOIt’s about How

you LiveAt Work

Physical Issues: Absenteeism, lack of motivation

Mental Issues: Inability to concentrate, errors, confusion, accidents

Emotional Issues: Mood swings, “grief attacks”

Social: Isolation, substance use on the job

Spiritual: Resentful

Decrease in productivityDecrease in moraleDecrease in safetyLoss of employee

Re-training of new personnelIncreased staff load

Significant financial cost to business

Critical Incidence Response Program

Bereavement related policies and programs

Resources, counseling, and educational materials

Classes and workshops for staff

Sensitivity training for managers and supervisors

Eldercare Services/Consultation

Cathy has worked as an administrative assistant for five years. Her colleagues describe her as

dedicated and “invaluable.”

For the past two years, she helped her grandfather care for her grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s

disease. Cathy helped her grandfather coordinate her grandmother’s care and drove him to the

nursing home every evening so he could spend time with his wife.

Cathy’s grandmother recently died. Cathy is very worried about her grandfather.

NHPCOIt’s about How you Live

At Work

How could this affect your business?

AbsenteeismWorkday interruptionsReduced productivity

Supervisor timeUnpaid leave

Replace positionCo-workers

NHPCO

It’s about How you Live

At Work

How much could she cost your business?(if her salary is $15.00/hour and there is no

workplace support)

$1888.90

www.eldercalculator.org

NHPCOIt’s about How you

LiveAt Work

Be fired as a result of reduced productivity or frequent absences

Alienate her co-workers who pitch in to help cover her workload

Become resentful if her employers aren’t sympathetic

Quit her job

NHPCO It’s About How You LIVE At Work

LIVE!

NHPCO

It’s About How You LIVE At Work

Work-life program models

Policies and benefits

Community resources

NHPCO

It’s About How You LIVE At Work

New and/or fine tune existing:

Work-Life programs

Policies

Benefits

Manager resources

Employee resources

NHPCO It’s About

How You LIVE

At Work

Existing and new work-life programs, policies and resources available:

To EmployeesStaff MeetingsCompany newsletterNew employee orientation

To CommunityLocal newspaper or magazine articles

NHPCO

It’s About How You LIVE

At Work

Managers: to monitor grief issues

Employees: to ask for help

Co-workers: to support co-worker in need

Other businesses: to educate employees

Community: to improve care for the grieving

NHPCO

It’s About How You LIVE At Work

Increased employee morale and loyalty

Retention of good employees

Family-friendly work environment

Decreased cost to business

It’s the right thing to do! NHPCO

It’s About How You LIVE At Work

Consultation regarding work-life policies and procedures

Management training related to handling loss and grief issues at work while balancing the need for performance and productivity with the needs of the bereaved employee.

Employee presentations, workshops, and/or seminars on loss and grief with focus on understanding bereavement, grief, and mourning through the life-span, helping others who are mourning, and other topics.

On-site consultation and/or interventions following significant losses in an employee’s life.

Employee referrals for counseling, support groups and other community resources.