Grief is an acknowledgment that we loved someone, and the nature of our relationship with that person determines how we grieve. Grieving is an exclusive process; one that is as different as the person experiencing it. As Hospice volunteers, we must respect each person's individual grieving practices and refuse to give in to the temptation to advise others to follow our exact path. While those of us who have also experienced such loss can sympathize with the feelings of others, we must be sensitive to the fact that they are grieving the loss of a relationship that was exclusively theirs. As Hospice volunteers, we must consider this exclusivity and refrain from insisting that the bereaved person grieve in any way other than what is best for them. With this in mind, I have information that can help you understand grieving processes at different stages of life. With this understanding, you will be able to help your family members and loved ones, as well as your dying patient, experience a more peaceful death. Let’s look first at adults and grief. Here, the relationship with the deceased is a primary factor in the grieving process. When parents experience the loss of a child, it is considered “the most difficult death” (Leming and Dickinson, 2011, p. 492). The cycle of life dictates that the oldest die first. When this cycle is broken with the death of a child, adults are unprepared for death. Hope for the future is threatened within the family and thoughts of what should have been, of what will be missed persist. Mothers will talk more about the death while fathers will remain busy with tasks in an attempt to avoid expressing their feelings (Leming and Dickinson, 2011, p. 492). There may be marital discord middle of paper......to provide more personalized end-of-life care. There is no right or wrong way to deal with grief and death, but through compassion, care and understanding, there are ways to help those involved in grieving resolution . Works Cited Bougere, MH (nd). Culture, bereavement and bereavement: applications for clinical practice. Retrieved from Minority Nurse: http://www.minoritynurse.com/culture-grief-and-bereavement-applications-clinical-practiceLeming, MR and Dickinson, GE (2011). Understanding Death, Dying, and Grieving (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. The Jason Program. (nd). The grieving process at different ages. Retrieved from Partnership for Parents: http://www.partnershipforparents.org/guide/?itemid=10P.G.White. (2009). Loss of an adult sibling. Excerpted from The Sibling Connection: http://counselingstlouis.net/page22.html