Rituals for the Death of Residents in LTC Facilities
When a resident of a long term care facility dies, should that person’s passing be marked in some way? According to a recent article in Kaiser Health News, Creating Rituals To Honor The Dead At Long-Term-Care Facilities one expert says the answer to that question is yes. This expert
wants to see bereavement openly acknowledged at facilities throughout Georgia to end what she calls “the silence surrounding loss and death in long-term care.” Following in-depth discussions with more than 70 staffers, residents and family members at nine facilities in central Georgia, she has created two handbooks on “best practices in bereavement care” and is gearing up to offer educational seminars and staff training in dozens of nursing homes and assisted living residences across the state.
As the article explains, “[f]raught reactions to loss and death are common among nursing assistants and other staff in long-term-care facilities, research shows. When feelings aren’t acknowledged, grief can go underground and lead to a host of physical and psychological symptoms, including depression, distancing and burnout.” The article offers several stories as well as some best practices. Some of those “best practices include offering support to grieving residents and relatives of the deceased, recognizing residents’ bereavement needs in care plans, and having a protocol to prepare bodies for final viewing.” Others develop unique acknowledgements of a resident’s death, including the use of candles, balloon releases and other activities..