Forgotten Grievers: An Exploration of the Grief Experiences of Bereaved Grandparents.

Abstract

Current knowledge about bereavement is derived from experiences of spouses, parents or children. A paucity of studies exists regarding grief of grandparents. The aims of this Irish national study were to identify and describe the bereavement experience of grandparents following the death of their grandchild and to explore their needs and supports throughout this experience. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was employed. Upon receipt of ethical approval, a multi-pronged sampling strategy was employed. Seventeen persons participated in in-dept interviews. Data was subjected to thematic field analysis through NVIVO. Previous literature noted that grandparents experience 'double pain', meaning that they concurrently experience feelings of loss for their grandchild in addition to observing the pain of their own adult child's grief (Gerner, 1990; Reed, 2000). However, our findings revealed that grandparents experience 'cumulative pain' i.e. in addition to 'double pain'; they also experience pain from other sources. This study found that the resolution of this pain can be either 'inhibited' or 'facilitated' by many factors that occur before, at the time of or following the death. There is a need for bereaved grandparents to be recognized, acknowledged and supported by healthcare professionals and society in general.