Refer to losses in the mourner’s life of relationships that are not socially sanctioned.(Worden)
Disenfranchised grief
- Socially negated losses: i.e. miscarriages
- Socially unspeakable losses: Death by suicide or AIDS, murderer.
- Socially unacceptable behavior: Marital affairs
Disenfranchised grief
When the infant is dead at time of birth or upon expulsion from the mother’s womb.
Stillborn
a. is the unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant.
b. It is the third (3rd) leading cause of death among infants.
c. Also known as “crib death.”.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Grief Reactions of the Parent(s) of Child Death
- Intense fear for surviving children since parents believe they somehow caused the death of the infant.
- Fearful of having another child for fear of same thing happening.
- Intensified feelings of guilt and anger.
- Marital problems may occur.
- May be parents first encounter with death and the funeral process.
- Most parents say the death of a child is more traumatic than the death of a spouse and/or a parent.
- More tragic than other types of death, because children are not supposed to die.
How Can the Funeral Director Help (Child Death)?
- Let the parents and the family hold the baby.
- Encourage the parents to dress the baby.
- Encourage the parents and family to talk about the baby. These events will help parents/family acknowledge the birth of the baby.
- The age of the child when the death(s) occur will play a major factor In the child’s reaction.
- How the child handles the death will most often set the stage for how death will be dealt with later in life.
Death of a Parent/Parents
In 2010, ______ was the 10th leading cause of death.
SUICIDE
a deliberate act of self-destruction.
SUICIDE
thoughts of ending one’s life (committing suicide)
Suicide ideation
unsuccessful attempt made by the person to end his/her life.
Suicidal gesture
____ is a form of violent death that not only shocks the survivors but disrupts the “____” stages of grief and the mourning process.
Suicide
natural
is the “act of ultimate control”. Survivors suffer anger and rage, especially in the early stages of grief.
suicide
TYPES OF SUICIDE (EMILE DURKHEIM)
- ANOMIC SUICIDE
- FATALISTIC SUICIDE
- ALTRUISTIC SUICIDE
- EGOISTIC SUICIDE
studied thousands of cases of suicide to demonstrate his theory that a person commits suicide because of the influence of society. His theory on suicide includes four types of suicide.
EMILE DURKHEIM
during times of adverse conditions such as war or financial hardship, when rules of society don’t apply
ANOMIC SUICIDE
– because one feels over-regulated or over-controlled. They feel there is no other way out
FATALISTIC SUICIDE
due to a high sense of group involvement or out of a sense of duty for a cause (Kamikaze pilots in WWII, suicide bombers)
ALTRUISTIC SUICIDE
due to feelings of being a loner or feelings that one does not fit into society
EGOISTIC SUICIDE
What can the funeral director do to help (Suicide)?
- Provide support for the family and remain non-judgmental!
- Let the family talk!
- LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!
- Provide aftercare resource information for suicide support groups.
is a form of “violent” death.
HOMICIDE
HOMICIDE
- Since it takes 5 to 7 years to bring a homicide trial to court, grief is often delayed and/or reoccurs during the trial.
- Survivors suffer anger and guilt due to the traumatic nature of the death.
- Revenge becomes important to the survivors but this is a normal response that can be addressed during the mourning process.
What can the funeral director do to help (Homicide)?
- As with suicide, provide help and assistance without being judgmental.
- Listen, listen, listen!
- Provide aftercare resource information for local assistance programs.
Term derived from the Greek words for “well/good” and “death”
EUTHANASIA
