Reflecting on Death and Grief in the Nursing Home

When the first resident I’d cared for at the nursing home died, I was overwhelmed with sadness. I was unsure what to do or what would happen next. Should I call her family to offer my condolences? I had only known Mrs. G and her family for three months, yet I had felt connected to them. During the frequent visits needed for various medical complications, we talked about her long life, her children and grandchildren, and her previous stint on hospice after her first stroke a few years back. I had watched her gracefully break up an argument between other residents and persevere through the communication challenges that arose with her most recent stroke.