Silent grief is the complex emotional process a person goes through when a loved one is diagnosed with a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's. This grief begins long before the death of the person who is ill, because the loved one gradually loses the person as they were before the illness. As the illness progresses, the loved one goes through intense emotions such as sadness, anger, frustration and guilt, but also stress, helplessness and anxiety. Silent grief also involves social and practical adjustments to cope with the situation, such as reorganising daily life and preparing for future care.
This process is therefore emotionally exhausting. It is crucial for the person affected to find emotional support, whether through loved ones, support groups or mental health professionals. Silent grief is a difficult path, but understanding the process can help the loved one prepare emotionally for the eventual death of the person they love and look after their own mental health during this period.
This course on silent grief therefore has a twofold aim, to explain the specific features of this form of grief:
- for professionals, so that they can best support caregivers;
- for caregivers, so that they better understand the emotions they are going through and the need to look after their own mental health throughout the process.
Learning objectives of the course
- Knowing and understanding the process of silent grief
- Identifying and recognising the resulting difficulties
- Observing the impact of silent grief on daily life and on relationships
- Anticipating and coming to terms with changes throughout the process and the different stages of grief
- Developing quality in welcoming, listening and being present while taking care of oneself and one's own needs
- Analysing and understanding what is at stake in silent grief in order to support families and loved ones at every stage of the illness
- Knowing how to support caregivers
Detailed programme – 7 hours
UNDERSTANDING SILENT GRIEF
- Learning about the “conventional” grieving process
- Defining silent grief
- Understanding the differences between silent grief and “conventional” grief
- Learning some key facts about silent grief
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF SILENT GRIEF ON LOVED ONES
- Understanding the process of silent grief in the caregiver and the patient: acquiring knowledge and reference points and understanding its specific features
- Knowing how to recognise the emotions involved
- Identifying the consequences of silent grief and knowing some keys to cope with them
DEVELOPING METHODS TO SUPPORT CAREGIVERS AND PATIENTS
- Knowing how to give advice to help caregivers adapt to their caring role and find ways to look after themselves while supporting their loved one who is ill
- Reflecting on and defining the role of health professionals in supporting family caregivers
- Imagining possible actions to best support patients and their caregivers, helping them to stay in contact, release their emotions and recharge
Accessibility
On request, this course can be adapted for participants with disabilities. For videoconference sessions, help with connecting to our Teams software will be sent to you along with your course invitation.
Quality indicators
Session 07/11/2024 – Trélazé: full
