An older adult client whose spouse died 6 months ago tells the nurse stories about the deceased spouse

Question

When care has been completed, the client thanks the nurse for listening and states, "My children will not listen to these stories." From which type of care would this client benefit?
A) Antidepressant medication
B) Group therapy
C) Individual therapy
D) Psychotherapy

Answer 1

Answer: C

Treatment of grief in older adults can be successful without medications. Group therapies can be quite effective, as they can be a means of support that the individual may be lacking, as well as a place where the client can discuss any concerns in a judgment-free setting. This type of therapy can also be particularly helpful as it introduces the client to other individuals who have experienced the same loss, and who may be having similar grief responses. For some clients, depending on their personality and preferences, group therapy may not be a good option, but individual therapy may be helpful. Complicated grief is generally treated with a form of psychotherapy called Complicated Grief Treatment, which treats the symptoms of complicated grief while helping the client to move through the grieving process. This client is not demonstrating signs of complicated grief.