ANTICIPATORY GRIEVING: SITUATIONAL CRISIS OF CHRONICALLY ILL ADULT PATIENTS

Adviser: JOCELYN B. CALLEJA, RN, MAN

Students:

Vanessa B. Retuerma
retuerrna05@yahoo.corn

Patricia M. Rocha
patresyah22@yahoacorn

Kristel L. Sallena
kristellazaro@yahoo.com

Julius Bernard E. San Jose
julez ryne15@yahoo.com

AQUINAS UNIVERSITY OF LEGAZPI

ABSTRACT

Anticipatory grief is a form of grief that occurs when there is an opportunity to anticipate the loss of something or someone. It may be affected by such things as the duration and pattern of the illness, by concurrent stresses such as financial, social, physical, emotional, developmental, etc., and periods of uncertainty and certainty. Moreover, anticipatory grief is a multitude of emotions that can swing back and forth, in different directions or come all at once. It is emotions that can vary from intense and conflicting to guilt and shame. II is the feeling of helplessness to change the inevitable for those grieving the impending loss. This study purposed on emphasizing the nature of anticipatory grieving and the crises it contributes on people's lives. Specifically, answers to the following were sought: (1) What is the demographic profile of the participants in terms of age, gender, religion, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, and diagnosis?, (2) What is the impact of the diagnosis to the participants?, (3) What are the changes that happened to the
participants physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially?, (4) What are the coping strategies that the participants utilize in order to strengthen their core of being?, and (5) What measures can be offered to the participants to enhance their coping and self-concept on the anticipated loss?. Focusing on the nature of the disease and changes on the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects, findings, conclusions and recommendations were made. Based on the testimonies of the four participants and their key respondents, it could be said that no matter what their diagnoses are, they still express different levels of fear, anxiety, disbelief and worry upon knowing their illnesses. These factors may lead to their vulnerability and a lower self-confidence which could result in uncertainty in life. This study also claims that not all individual with grave illness may express a negative feeling towards life. Some may reflect positive thoughts and feelings, taking advantage of their illness and with that, making them able to overcome their uncertainties. Measures on the participants' physical, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects were finally recommended.

Keywords: Anticipatory Grief, Situational Crisis, Chronically III