The violence of a car crash or the swift death caused by a heart attack gives the individual no time to know what is happening. Even death that occurs a day or two after an accident, operation, or acute illness is too entangled with the treatment of the condition for the patient to realize that he or she is dying. There is little time for the physician to discuss the matter with the family, other than to warn them of the possibility. The patient rarely suffers, but the family is left unprepared and appalled by the disaster.
The family needs expert help from the physician, the nurses, and the clergy. Medical help can soften the initial grief. The children and relatives can help each other. The very fact that they are being constructive produces an unexpected strength to cope with funeral arrangements, lawyers, and the hospital. Friends and neighbors can help the bereaved family in a practical way by helping with the shopping and other domestic chores.
Adjusting to life after the sudden death of a loved one is difficult. The surviving relative needs a chance to talk over the death. The bereaved person may suffer from a feeling of guilt and needs encouragement and support. Grief sometimes takes the form of anger directed at the outside causes of death. The bereaved person is looking for someone to blame for the disaster. This feeling passes as the bereaved person's normal perspective on life returns, but it can be alarming to the family and friends who are trying to help.
Acute and despairing grief is understandable and common after a sudden death. As grief lessens, the support and care of the family and friends can gradually be softened. The relative or friend can come to terms with the situation as he or she would have been able to do had the death been gradual and anticipated.
Hospitalization - Admission Procedures
The procedures you follow on admission to a hospital vary from one hospital to another, but basically the process is the same in most institutions in the United States.
Care of the Dying - Reaction of Children
A child's reaction to death depends on many factors. A child's first experience with death is often the death of a pet. A child under the age of eight cannot understand that death is irreversible and may expect the mother or father to bring the pet back to life. After the age of eight or nine, the child's understanding is usually as rational as an adult's understanding.
Care of the Dying - Moment of Death
Do not be alarmed if the patient's breathing makes a groaning or croaking sound. It does not mean that he or she is in pain. When a dying patient slips into a coma, the position of the neck and body produces the noise, which can be reduced by gently turning the patient's shoulders or body.
