Transition experiences during courses of incurable cancer from the perspective of bereaved spouses

Madsen, Rikke; Birkelund, Regner; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2018.11.009

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…This study showed that there was variation in the perception of busyness during the first days after their partners' death. Most participants experienced it as overwhelming, which is in line with previous research (Dumont et al, 2008;Madsen et al, 2019). Other participants experienced this busyness as a distraction from their E.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…All participants in this study experienced loss-oriented and restoration-oriented experiences during bereavement, as explained in the model of Stroebe and Schut (2010). The emotional fluctuations that participants described can thus be considered as a normal aspect of the bereavement process, on the basis of the dual process model of coping with bereavement (Holtslander et al, 2011;Hooghe et al, 2018;Madsen et al, 2019;Stroebe and Schut, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The continued interaction between these two modes of coping is necessary to achieve adaptive coping (Boerner et al, 2015;Hooghe et al, 2018). As supported by several studies, bereavement can be seen as finding a balance between deep bereavement and moving forward in life, proceeding through different transitions (Holtslander et al, 2011;Madsen et al, 2019).…”

Section: Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Restoration-oriented coping mainly entails experimenting with new roles and trying to sustain a functional daily routine. If the bereaved person lingers in the restoration-oriented coping sphere, psychological difficulties can also occur, due to insufficient engagement with loss-oriented coping strategies (Madsen et al, 2019). The continued interaction between these two modes of coping is necessary to achieve adaptive coping (Boerner et al, 2015;Hooghe et al, 2018).…”

Section: Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spousal caregivers often feel lonelier after the death of their partner due to the absence of the time-consuming caregiving. Caregivers have to find new activities and roles in their daily-life (Holtslander et al, 2011;Madsen et al, 2019;Schulz et al, 2008). Due to the exhausting nature of the caring relationship, caregivers of cancer patients sometimes report more relief than severe grief after the death of the patient (Bass and Bowman, 1990;Boerner et al, 2004;Pusa et al, 2012).…”

Section: Bereavement After Caregivingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

An exploration of spousal caregivers’ well-being after the death of their partners who were older cancer patients – A phenomenological approach

Hout

Peters

Jansen

et al. 2020

European Journal of Oncology Nursing

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The aim of this study was to gain more insight into the psychosocial well-being of the recently bereaved spouses who took care of their partners with cancer. Method: A qualitative study was developed, taking a phenomenological approach. Eleven former caregivers and spouses of patients who died of cancer at, or after, the age of 64, participated in individual in-depth interviews. Only caregivers who were bereaved for a minimum of three months and maximum of one year were interviewed. The analysis of the data was based on the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. Results: The first moments of bereavement included feelings of disbelief, regret and relief. A feeling of being overwhelmed during this time was reported by some, others sought distraction from their grief. Loneliness, emotional fluctuations and a sense of appreciation for the support of loved ones were dominant themes. Also, gratitude and the importance of consolation played a role in the participants' well-being. When participants addressed the matter of moving forward in life, most explained how they wanted to keep the memories of their partner alive while rebuilding their lives. Conclusions: The present study offers insight into the experiences of the bereaved spousal caregiver and highlights the need of social support during the bereavement period. All participants expressed loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping strategies. Also, loneliness is considered a dominant feeling throughout the bereavement period. Social contact can ease these feelings of loneliness through providing either distraction or possibilities to share the burden. This paper emphasized the importance of improving access to healthcare professionals during bereavement.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bereavement After Caregivingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

An exploration of spousal caregivers’ well-being after the death of their partners who were older cancer patients – A phenomenological approach

Hout

Peters

Jansen

et al. 2020

European Journal of Oncology Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Nursing care and nurses’ understandings of grief and bereavement among patients and families during cancer illness and death – A scoping review

Madsen¹,

Larsen²,

Carlsen³

et al. 2023

European Journal of Oncology Nursing

Self Cite

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The Loss of a Spouse Following an Oncological Disease: A Scoping Review

Sani,

Chemrouk,

Berre

et al. 2023

Illness, Crisis & Loss

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Objective: Death from cancer is one of the most frequent worldwide and the spouse is the person most at risk of potentially developing psychological consequences. The following study aims to offer a scoping review of studies on people who have lost their spouses to cancer and treatments that could be recommended to prevent psychological consequences. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used to report the findings of this review. Results: In total, 136 titles and 52 abstracts were selected. Of these 52 articles, 8 articles met all recommendations and inclusion criteria. Conclusions: Although cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, the issue of bereaved spouses following cancer remains understudied. Several notions and hypotheses were endorsed, such as possible resistance to and difficulties in conducting research on this kind of loss and with caregivers, the role of illness and postmortality in the scientific landscape.

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Transition experiences during courses of incurable cancer from the perspective of bereaved spouses

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

An exploration of spousal caregivers’ well-being after the death of their partners who were older cancer patients – A phenomenological approach

An exploration of spousal caregivers’ well-being after the death of their partners who were older cancer patients – A phenomenological approach

Nursing care and nurses’ understandings of grief and bereavement among patients and families during cancer illness and death – A scoping review

The Loss of a Spouse Following an Oncological Disease: A Scoping Review

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