Skip to page content
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
  • Independent LivingExpand Independent Living section
    • Overview
    • Services & Amenities
    • Resident Programs
    • Dining
    • Wellness
    • What is a Life Plan Community?
    • Neighborhood
    • Future Residents Club
    • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
    • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
  • Health ServicesExpand Health Services section
    • Overview
    • Assisted Living
    • Skilled Nursing
    • Memory Care
    • Rehabilitation
  • Home CareExpand Home Care section
    • Overview
    • 5-Star Care
    • Westchester County, NY
    • Fairfield County, CT
    • FAQ
    • Resources
  • FoundationExpand Foundation section
    • Overview
    • What We Fund
    • Ways to Give
    • Community Relations
    • Foundation FAQ
    • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
    • Foundation Blog / Events
  • About The OsbornExpand About The Osborn section
    • Overview
    • Leadership
    • Board of Trustees
    • Accreditations
    • Brochures
    • Gallery and Video
    • FAQ
The Osborn
Call us at 888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Home
  • Independent Living
  • Health Services
  • Home Care
  • Foundation
  • About The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
  • Call us
Independent Living
  • Overview
  • Services & Amenities
  • Resident Programs
  • Dining
  • Wellness
  • What is a Life Plan Community?
  • Neighborhood
  • Future Residents Club
  • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
  • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
Health Services
  • Overview
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Memory Care
  • Rehabilitation
Home Care
  • Overview
  • 5-Star Care
  • Westchester County, NY
  • Fairfield County, CT
  • FAQ
  • Resources
Foundation
  • Overview
  • What We Fund
  • Ways to Give
  • Community Relations
  • Foundation FAQ
  • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
  • Foundation Blog / Events
About The Osborn
  • Overview
  • Leadership
  • Board of Trustees
  • Accreditations
  • Brochures
  • Gallery and Video
  • FAQ
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Page Content
Back to Blog
Previous Post Next Post

Grief and Grieving

June 15, 2020

~ by Carol Vartulli

The older we grow, the more losses we experience. We lose our supple skin, our hair, our flexibility and muscle strength. And as years pass, we lose more people we love — spouses, siblings, colleagues, and friends.

There is a myth that grieving follows an orderly process of clearly defined stages leading to acceptance. “In a sense, grief is wild; it can circle back and hit us just when we think we’ve gotten everything under control,” explains Marie Mitarondo, a grief recovery specialist and hospice chaplain in Collingswood, New Jersey.

Each person’s path through the days, weeks, and months after a loss is unique. Although it is painful, acute grief is normal and usually subsides within a year.

Complicated Grief

Some people experience persistent grief that leads to profound changes in their mental, emotional, and physical health. This is called ‘complicated grief,’ in which the individual has feelings of intense worthlessness, internal questioning of personal beliefs, a strong yearning for the person who passed, and an inability to accept the passing.

A study by a branch of the National Institutes of Health found that “among the elderly, those between ages 75 and 84 years have a higher risk of developing complicated grief compared with a younger age group.” Conversely, the study noted that people aged 85 years and over were less likely to suffer abnormal grief.

Complicated grief can have serious effects:
• Serious depression: experienced by about half of those with complicated grief
• Suicidal thoughts: experienced by 40 to 60 percent
• Insomnia: causing sleep anxiety and worsening depression
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): flashbacks, nightmares, and a need to avoid reminders (people, places, things) of the one who passed
• Anxiety disorders: extreme, persistent worry over money, health, family, work
• Substance abuse: harmful use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs to ‘cope’

Dealing with complicated grief requires help. Your general practitioner may recommend a psychiatrist or counselor. Cognitive behavioral therapy in private or group settings can help you confront your loss and learn techniques to channel your grief. More specific treatments may be prescribed for depression, PTSD, or substance abuse.

Helping Yourself and Others

Losing, and grieving the loss of a loved one, are part of the human experience. If you are working through a loss, you can do several things to help yourself stay healthy. You can likewise support a friend during their time of bereavement.
Self-care includes taking some time away from your regular obligations, to allow yourself to absorb what has happened and acknowledge the profound change in your life. Give yourself space and permission to cry, if you want to. Consider keeping a small notebook in which to write about your loved one and your feelings.

While you may not feel like eating, remember that keeping yourself hydrated and fueled with healthy food has an impact on your stamina, which is vital during this stressful time. Sleep is likewise important to your health; if sleeping is difficult, you may need short-term medication to ensure you get enough rest.

Above all, lean on family and friends. You may need someone to listen to your thoughts, or to simply sit nearby. Tap into your spiritual connections, whether it’s a faith community, or a walk among nature.

Grief can be described as the flipside of joy. In time, grieving gives way to precious memories of those we have loved.


The information in the above article is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

More Posts

  • How Gardening Boosts Wellness, Strength, and Purpose for Seniors

    May 15, 2025

    There’s something timeless about tending to a garden. The feel of the soil, the rhythm of planting and watering, the quiet reward of seeing things grow, all have a way of slowing us down, grounding...

  • The Benefits of Senior Rehabilitation: Regaining Strength, Confidence, and Independence

    April 15, 2025

    Aging gracefully means adapting to life’s changes—but sometimes, those changes involve a health setback that affects how you feel day to day. Whether from an illness, injury, or surgery...

  • International Women's Month

    March 15, 2025

    ~ by Carol Vartuli

    A March Challenge

    Who originated the concept of a cotton gin and helped solve the mechanical problems encountered by patent-holder Eli Whitney (1794...

More From the Blog

Request a Tour

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org
Learn about Careers at the Osborn
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Events
  • News & Blog
  • Contact
  • Pricing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Donate
  • Careers
US News Best Nursing Homes - Long-Term Care 2025 US News Best Nursing Homes - Short-Term Rehabilitation 2025 Newsweek America's Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities 2024
The Osborn 101 Theall Rd Rye, NY 10580 914-201-9500
2024 CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Overall Rating 3 Stars Health Inspection 3 Stars Staffing 4 Stars Quality Measures 4 Stars
© 2025 The Osborn All Rights Reserved
The Osborn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a member of Novare.org
Equal Housing Opportunity
Wheelchair Accessible
Pet Friendly
Programmed and Managed by Piszko Design