The Expression of Loss (IN: What to do When a Loved one Dies: a Practical and Compassionate Guide to Dealing With Death on Life’s Terms, by E Shaw)

This chapter discusses the effects of death on loved ones, including physical & emotional grief. It begins with a description of what practical things need to be in the first week after bereavement. The physical changes that a bereaved individual may experience are then described followed by an extensive discussion of the stages of grief starting with denial & moving through to acceptance. Bereavement due to specific losses is discussed including: death due to natural causes, prolonged death from an illness, unexpected & sudden death (trauma, homicide, & suicide), euthanasia, disappearance deaths, the death of an unborn child, & sudden infant death syndrome.