Have you ever noticed an elderly couple doing normal daily activities and thought to yourself, what would they do without each other? Many of us have elderly parents who are married or have someone with whom they have a close connection, like a best friend, and we think they are keeping themselves alive. We are all born to die, but the way we face death is different. When someone dies, those affected may feel depressed, sad, and even angry. Looking at death from a different perspective, such as that of a loved one moving on to a better place, instead of a loss, can cause loved ones to rejoice. This is generally the case when the cause of death is natural. When the death of a spouse is due to a traumatic event, loved ones are left with many questions that they may live with for the rest of their lives. We can continue to live a normal life once the emotional pain is removed. I use the term suppress because it is not clear that anyone can ever “get over” the death of a loved one. Grief in older adults can cause the partner to feel alone, become ill, and often die soon after. When a long-term partner of an elderly person dies, what is their mental state? According to Lund, the mental health of many older spouses is not as devastating as one might imagine, even though loneliness and problems associated with daily tasks are the most common and difficult adult adjustments ( Meiner, 2011). Research reported in the Journal of Gerontologic Nursing (JOGN) indicates that the assessment tool, Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), can assess thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with separation distress, including… excessive loneliness (Barron and Minton, 2008). Additionally, another test may be done to assess the pro...... middle of paper ...... so that the person feels better too quickly. Instead, you should help the older person through the grieving process which is normal and healthy (Meiner, 2011) Works Cited Barron, C., Minton, M. (2008). Assessment of spousal bereavement: Examination of bereavement-specific measures. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Vol. 34, n°8, 34-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhostElwert, F. and Christakis, N. (2008). The effect of widowhood on mortality according to the causes of death of both spouses. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 98(11), 2092-2098. Taken from EBSCOhost. Howie, L., Mcintyre, G. (2002). Adapting to widowhood through meaningful professions: a case study. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol. 9, 54-62. Retrieved from EBSCOhostMeiner, S. (2011). Loss and end of life issues. In P. Burbank & J. Miller (Eds.), Gerontologic Nursing (pp... 351-365)