Hospice support for families facing multiple deaths of children.

Abstract

The hospice team can have significant impact in guiding families through the death of a second child by recognizing the additional dynamics inherent in such a grieving process. It is vital to recognize the unresolved grief these families may face when they have not been able to grieve the first child's death adequately. The impact this unresolved grief will have on their coping abilities, anticipatory grief, and grief work when they experience the death of another child can be overwhelming. It is important to be aware of familial changes that occur when working with families who are facing the death of a second child since the addition of other children. For example, a host of additional dynamics that the family may not be familiar with or prepared to cope with may well occur, demanding specialized grief support and follow-up as provided by Hospice.