Take our Depression Test

Find a therapist to heal from grief

We all grieve differently.

By the time we reach our senior years, we've experienced many types of loss.

Author Kate Doerge believes we can choose how we grieve.

By the time we reach our senior years, we have experienced a wide range of grief. When we talk about loss and grief, we’re not only talking about the loss of loved ones, but also other situations, such as declining health and the loss of physical ability, cognitive function, occupational identity, and our role in society.

Often, we’ve experienced multiple layers of loss at once, such as losing loved ones, dealing with health changes, losing the ability to do what we once could, and experiencing a shift in family and community roles.

Even if the loss occurred a long time ago, we can still be easily triggered by certain events, such as anniversaries, birthdays, or everyday reminders that send us down the rabbit hole of sadness and grief. This is especially common after losing a loved one. It is very common for grief to resurface years later. It’s all a normal part of love and memory.

How We Grieve and How Grief Shows Up

Grief is a natural response to loss. It should never be considered a weakness. Everyone grieves in their own way. There’s no timetable or “correct” method for healing.

Grief can show up psychologically,........

© Psychology Today