About Grief
Caregivers often grieve long before a loss occurs—anticipatory grief for a future without someone, and ambiguous grief for what's already slipping away.
Anticipatory Grief
Grief is often understood to happen after a loss occurs, for example after a loved one dies. People expecting a loss may also experience anticipatory grief.
Anticipatory grief means feeling sad before the loss occurs. Rather than grieving for the person, who is still with you, you may feel grief for the things you won’t get to do together in the future.
When facing a significant loss, such as the death of a loved one, it is natural to feel many strong emotions. It’s also normal to think about what your life will be like after they have died and how you will cope. This doesn’t mean you have given up on the person or that you don’t care for them.
- Grief Before Death — HealthDirect (note: this resource is Australian)
- How Caregivers Deal with Anticipatory Grief — Brain & Life (includes a podcast link)
Ambiguous Grief
Loss and grief are among the most significant and challenging issues you will face as a caregiver. As a caregiver, you may grieve:
The loss of your dreams and plans for the future.
The loss of a confidant and partner.
The loss of shared roles and responsibilities.
The progressive losses in the life of the person you are caring for.
Unnamed Pain: Coping with Ambiguous Loss — Mayo Clinic Health System