Abstract
BackgroundAfter losing their child, elderly parents look for a meaning in this phenomenon. This meaning comes out from their experiences, and their responses to and actions in life are shaped based on this meaning. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of “understanding the meaning of losing a child in older adults.”MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis method. Using semi-structured face-to-face interviews, data were collected from 15 older adults who had experienced of losing their adult child. Data analysis was performed according to the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman, 2004. To prove the trustworthiness of the data, credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability were used.ResultsThe age range of participants was between 61 and 83 years and 73.3% of them were female. The two main categories of “tasting the bitter flavor of life” and “searching for a positive meaning in losing a child” together with the theme of “finding hope in the heart of darkness” were extracted from the participants’ experiences.ConclusionsDespite the grief of losing a child, which had cast a dark shadow over the parents’ lives, the child’s liberation from worldly sufferings, his/her presence in a better world, and being hopeful about the grace of God had caused the elderly parents to find hope in the heart of darkness. After identifying the parents with a deceased child, they should be helped through psychological counseling and care of the healthcare team so that they can adapt to this situation by finding a positive meaning in losing their child.
Highlights
After losing their child, elderly parents look for a meaning in this phenomenon
Given the vulnerability of the older adults, the unknown meaning of losing a child in them, and the lack of a related study on the Iranian older adults, this study was conducted with the aim of understanding the meaning of losing a child in the older adults
Content analysis is concerned with meanings, intentions, consequences and context
Summary
Elderly parents look for a meaning in this phenomenon. This meaning comes out from their experiences, and their responses to and actions in life are shaped based on this meaning. The loss of a child is one of the worst life events that can be experienced by parents and facing it can cause many physical, mental and emotional stresses [1]. Parents often feel helpless after this incident [2]. This psychological trauma has been compared in some studies to a hole in heart [3] or amputation [4]. After losing a loved one, the acute symptoms of grief subside gradually
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