The grief-related experiences of grandparents when a child has died or is terminally ill / severely disabled. A study exploring the experiences of 11 grandparents who have experienced, or are experiencing, the illness, death or severe disability of a grandchild.

Abstract

This exploratory, qualitative study aimed to describe the grief-related experiences and support needs of grandparents when dealing with the death, disability or terminal illness of grandchildren. Three focus groups were held: the participants in two were grandparents who had been bereaved by the death of a grandchild, and the participants in the other were grandparents who had a grandchild with a disability or terminal illness. One participant who was unable to attend a focus group was interviewed individually. This small study found that when a child is seriously disabled, ill or dies, often grandparents are seen as part of the support system for the parents and siblings of the child, but their grief and disempowerment in the situation in which they are not usually the decision makers can be hard to bear. It was found that the grief experienced by grandparents can be complex and multi-dimensional as it can be complicated by a number of factors, including: having to support their children and other grandchildren in their grief; grieving for them, while grieving for themselves; and the loss of their dream of a future where their grandchild could have a full and healthy life. Recommendations for further research and what can be done to help these disenfranchised or forgotten grievers are discussed.