Loss, Grief and Dying with Dementia

Course Number: LDMonline134

Start Date: Monday November 12, 2012

Two of our society’s greatest fears are death (loss of life) and dementia (perceived loss of self). This course will offer an overview of the unique losses, grief and bereavement experienced by persons with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers. The focus will be on the ways persons with dementia die, their often unique death trajectory, end of life care, and palliation. We will address some of the barriers dying PWD and their family face, and more importantly, address how we can begin breaking down these barriers and focus on providing excellent end of life care to PWD.

Objectives

At the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Articulate the differences between "dying with dementia" vs "dying from dementia."
• Distinguish and summarize for colleagues anticipatory, ambiguous and disenfranchised grief as related to dementia.
• Recognize and explain to colleagues and family the implications of considering dementia as a palliative condition.
• Describe and explain the relevance of discussions about advanced directives while the PWD is still able to make informed decisions.
• Explain to colleagues, patients and family how the family/caregivers bereavement can be affected by the journey experienced by the PWD, and their understanding and meaning attached to death.

Instructor: Debbie Ribeyre

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