Grief does not follow a linear path. For older adults, grieving is often complicated by the sense that the world has moved on while their own heart remains suspended in sorrow. Whether grieving the death of a partner, the loss of lifelong friends, or the dissolution of roles and identities, older adults face unique challenges in how their grief is perceived and supported. This post explores the long arc of grief in older adulthood and how to foster healing and integration.

As we age, grief often becomes a more prominent companion in our lives. While society tends to associate grief primarily with the death of a loved one, older adults frequently experience a more nuanced and complex form of grief: the loss of a former version of themselves. Whether it's the result of retirement, physical decline, cognitive changes, or the passing of peers, older adults must often face multiple layers of grief, each impacting their identity and sense of purpose.