Literature Review

The Harvard Child Bereavement StudyDeath Studies; by Donna L Schuurman, Monique B Mitchell; 2/26The Harvard Child Bereavement Study provided critical insights into the impact of the death of a parent on children and their families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the homes of the participants four months after the parent/spouse died, one year after the death, and two years after the death. Three standardized measures were administered to the children, and five standardized measures were administered to the adults. Multiple findings about how bereavement changes over time for bereaved children and families were revealed; including, the impact of parental adjustment on children's well-being, the various ways children chose to remain connected to their parent who died, the healthiness of remembering the person who has died, and the value of including children in decision-making about memorialization and funerals.

Hospice of Southern Kentucky celebrates revitalization of memorial garden ABC 13 - WBKO News, Bowling Green, KY; by Avery Catalano; 3/18/26 Hospice of Southern Kentucky is celebrating the revitalization of the Geri Buchanon Smith Memorial Garden on its Bowling Green campus. The garden honors the late wife of longtime board member Dr. David Smith. The couple shared a deep love of gardening, and hospice leaders said the space is meant to reflect that.

[Japan] Half of hospice and palliative care unit inpatients' family members are surprised by death Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Satoko Ito, Tatsuya Morita, Masanori Mori, Isseki Maeda, Yutaka Hatano, Takashi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Otani, Tetsuya Yamagiwa, Yoshiyuki Kizawa, Satoru Tsuneto, Yasuo Shima, Kento Masukawa, Mitsunori Miyashita; 3/10/26 Background: Sudden unexpected death can occur even among patients with advanced cancer receiving hospice and palliative care. How bereaved families perceive this remains unclear. ... Design/setting/subjects: We analyzed longitudinally linked data from a prospective cohort of advanced cancer patients in 23 palliative care units in Japan and a nationwide survey of bereaved families. Conclusions: Compared with physicians' perspectives, bereaved family members perceive death to be sudden or unexpected more frequently and differently, and their perceptions are associated with postbereavement mental health.

[Canada] What about the family? A content analysis of international legislative frameworks and guidelines on assisted dyingPolicy, Politics & Nursing Practice; by Charlotte Boven, Gilla K Shapiro, Liesbeth Van Humbeeck, Let Dillen, Nele Van Den Noortgate, Gary Rodin; 2/26When a person chooses assisted dying, the impact on their family can be profound. Legislation and professional guidelines not only regulate and standardize practice, but also support the delivery of high-quality care. Within this framework, bereavement care plays a vital role by helping families prepare for the death and potentially reducing the risk of prolonged grief. To improve quality care, there is a clear need to better integrate family support into assisted dying guidelines by establishing best practices for bereavement care. Future research should focus on family members' perspectives and needs.

John Bowlby’s theory of attachment and separation: revisiting his original visions after 50+ years, what we know today, and where to go from here?

Relearning the world through grief-informed case formulation: A critique of prolonged grief disorder Journal of Humanistic Psychology; by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera, PhD; 1/31/26 Drawing on existential and humanistic frameworks, this review article critically examines the diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder and questions the usefulness of reducing grieving to a fixed set of symptoms and timelines. ... Rather than viewing grief as a disorder to be treated, the article advocates for understanding it as a natural and potentially transformative human response and argues for integrating grief into the bereaved person’s life story as a way to relearn the world.

The cost of dying: How rising funeral, end of life expenses leave families struggling long after goodbye NBC WBIR-10, Knoxville, TN; by Ellis Rold; 2/23/26 From five-figure funeral costs to long-term care that can run more than $10,000 a month, the price of dying in Tennessee is leaving many families financially strained long after they say goodbye. Planning for death is something many families put off. But experts say that delay can come at a high financial cost.

Hospital chaplain shares what end-of-life patients regret most Religion Unplugged; by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans; 2/24/26 ... In her research focused on the greater Boston area, Brandeis University professor (now President of Bryn Mawr College) Wendy Cadge found that many chaplains — whether they serve in hospitals, prisons or the military — often focus on end-of-life care and “big questions,” ones that might arise more forcefully in a time of crisis. ... When I’m with people near the end of their lives, what I most often witness is not fear of death itself, but grief over unfinished relationships and or unexpressed parts of the self. Many people grieve time they now see as wasted on what felt urgent in the moment but unimportant in hindsight — work that eclipsed connection, worry that crowded out presence, obligations that pulled them away from what actually nourished them. Alongside this is grief for words left unsaid, tenderness withheld, and versions of themselves they didn’t feel permitted to become.

Mourning a former spouse: Disenfranchised grief AfterTalk; by Dr. Robert Neimeyer; 2/16/26 Dear Dr. Neimeyer, ... Upon hearing that my ex died of cancer last February, I reacted viscerally which surprised my husband. I had to handle some of my ex’s legal affairs as he never remarried. Occasionally since then, I get flooded with memories of him and the good times we shared. It’s almost haunting. I am saddened he is missing the wonderful events in our children’s’ lives. Do people mourn their divorced spouses years after remarriage?  ... CarlaDear Carla, ... [Read Dr. Neimeyer's response]

Presence experiences after loss: Prevalence and relational meaning in a diverse urban sampleOmega; Claire White, Anna Mathiassen, Ronald Fischer; 1/26Presence experiences-the sense that a significant person who has died is nearby or perceptible-are common after bereavement but remain underexamined in grief research. This study ... [revealed that] ... over two-thirds of participants reported having ever experienced a presence, with nearly half reporting at least one occurrence in the past two weeks. These experiences were most commonly reported as a general feeling of presence, rated as both significant and welcome. Participants frequently interpreted encounters as meaningful attempts at contact and preferred disclosing these experiences to close social connections rather than institutional figures. These findings highlight presence experiences as common, relationally shaped, and culturally interpreted aspects of bereavement.

Experiencing grief this Valentine's Day? VITAS® Healthcare launches Valentine Helpline in Florida PR Newswire, Miramar, FL; by VITAS Healthcare; 2/10/26 As Valentine's Day approaches, a time often associated with love and connection, many people experience heightened feelings of grief, loneliness or emotional strain after the loss of a loved one or while anticipating an impending loss. To support those navigating these complex emotions, VITAS Healthcare will host a Valentine Helpline on Saturday, Feb. 14, offering free, confidential grief support to Florida residents.

Sheinelle Jones honors nurses who cared for her late husbandTODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle; YouTube segment from tv show; 2/4/26 TODAY's Sheinelle Jones pays special tribute to the nurses and caretakers who looked after her husband Uche Ojeh while in hospice and not only made the time he had left more comfortable, but also supported her and the whole family during their most difficult moments. "The only reason I even have the strength to talk about it, is because I believe that they're our heroes. They deserve all the love and attention we can give them," she says. Then, the care team, Jazzie Stickle, Denise James Wright, Nykyra Owens, Chanel Duff and Jessica Goldstein, get a special surprise.Editor's Note: This segment on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle honored Uche's birthday, the first birthday Sheinelle and her family are experiencing since his death from brain cancer in May 2025. Hudson Valley Hospice provided hospice care, and beautifully represented the best of hospice care's philosophy and care. In addition to nurses and aides, Sheinelle especially thanked Uche's speech pathologist who helped him voice "I love you." I invite you to watch this and be inspired:  Sheinelle Jones' late husband Uche relearned to say 'I love you' in hospice. And she has the video.

Fly fishing support group provides new angle on grief processing: The grieving can find peace in the rhythm of fishingTimes Courier, Ellijay, GA; by Jackson Elliott; 1/28/26 Few people understand grief like a hospice chaplain. “I’ve experienced about 5,000 deaths,” former hospice chaplain Rick Gillert said. “And I’ve helped those families and patients through the grieving process." “‘I had this idea in the back of my head of combining professional grief care with fly fishing,” he said. During his time as a hospice chaplain, he would often seek peace from the difficulty of the work by going fishing the next day. “I can almost imagine my anxieties, my worries as leaves falling on the water and washing away,” Gillert said. In his program, clients join a group and go through a 10-week course on fly fishing, processing grief and coping skills.