How Young Widows and Widowers Experience Grief More Than Two Years Following the Death of Their Spouse: An Integrative Review.

BACKGROUND

Grieving the loss of a spouse as a young adult is unthinkable to many, yet a reality for some. Little is known about the grief of young widow(er)s, age 45 and under, and how it is experienced when moving forward in their forever changed lives, several years following the death of a spouse.

PURPOSE: An integrative review was conducted to develop an understanding of what is currently known about the long-term experiences of grief in the young widowed population.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged: (1) Losing More Than a Spouse; (2) Embracing Personal Change and Growth; (3) Maintaining a Lasting Relationship; and, (4) Enduring Grief.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide a foundational understanding of how grief is experienced several years following a death, and support future research in this domain. This valuable information can be used to inform the education and practices of nurses, and other health-care professionals who support bereaved individuals.