Older people are more likely to encounter the death of a loved one than any other age group and that alone should put them at the centre of bereavement support services. Our research with over 600 bereaved older people found that older people do not ‘get used to’ grief and loss. Instead, the accumulation of losses has a compounding effect on their physical and mental health.

We found that older people may be reluctant to discuss their mental health and grief with their family, GP or other care staff. Grief in older people may, consequently, go undetected and untreated. We also found that bereavement needs of older adults were frequently overlooked by GPs and other health professionals. Find out more about this project by visiting the poetry exhibition and listening to the podcast.

This project has also used art and poetry made from interviews with older people. This innovative and moving way of showing the effects on grief highlights the need to provide tailored support and challenges the notion that grief has an expiry date.

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