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How grandparents experience the death of a grandchild with a life-limiting condition

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>1/02/2019
<mark>Journal</mark>Journal of Family Nursing
Issue number1
Volume25
Number of pages19
Pages (from-to)109-127
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date17/12/18
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Traditionally, family-focused care extends to parents and siblings of children with life-limiting conditions. Only a few studies have focused on the needs of grandparents, who play an important role in the families of children with illness and with life-limiting conditions, in particular. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as the methodological framework for the study. Seven bereaved grandparents participated in this study. Semistructured, individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted. A number of contextual factors affected the experience of bereaved grandparents, including intergenerational bonds and perceived changes in role following the death of their grandchild. The primary motivation of grandparents stemmed from their role as a parent, not a grandparent. The breadth of pain experienced by grandparents was complicated by the multigenerational positions grandparents occupy within the family. Transition from before to after the death of a grandchild exacerbated the experience of pain. These findings about the unique footprint of grandparent grief suggest the development of family nursing practice to better understand and support grandparents during the illness of a grandchild, in addition to bereavement support.

Bibliographic note

The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Journal of Family Nursing, 25 (1), 2019, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Journal of Family Nursing page: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/JFN on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/