It’s not easy losing a loved one nor is it easy for doctors to face patient loss. The struggle over experiencing another’s death can negatively impact health, both mentally and physically.
Justin Ingels, a doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia, said his research has found the number of lives lost among people in the age range of 50 to 84 is high due specifically to the increasing number of losses experienced by individuals in that age range.
People are often not adequately prepared for such tragedies.
Bereavement training— or programs that help facilitate conversations about the end of life— may be one solution, said Toni Miles, who studies the intersection of aging and population health.
This is part of a series of briefs covering the 2019 State of the Public’s Health conference at the University of Georgia. Devon Zwald is a graduate student in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Please click here to read the full post.