Defining the post-caregiving period and the complexifying factors of grief

For GASO, “ post-caregiving refers to the period during which a caregiver experiences grief that is characterized by caregiving. Grief in post-caregiving differs from other types of grief, notably because of the emotional bond shared with the deceased person, the caregiver’s loss of identity, and the transition following the loss of the caregiver role.”

Post-caregiving is therefore the period that follows caregiving and begins with the death of the person being cared for. During this period, the bereaved person may face tensions and issues that continue beyond caregiving. First, the bereaved person may experience ambivalent emotions and feelings, such as sadness, anger, guilt, etc. Next, post-caregiving can be experienced against a backdrop of fatigue that accumulated during the caregiving, in relation to the high demands of the caregiving relationship. Also, caregiving may have led to family conflicts that may continue during the period of post-caregiving, or the death of the person being cared for may have given rise to new ones. People in post-caregiving may also be confronted with grief “triggers.” Triggers are people, places or objects that remind them of the person being cared for or of the caregiving experience and that can bring on sadness or anger. For example, finding yourself in a grocery aisle where you used to buy a specific food for the ill person can reactivate memories of significant or painful moments from the period of caregiving.

Mary Larkin (2009), a researcher interested in post-caregiving, developed a model to explain the its trajectory. This model conceptualizes post-caregiving as a transition influenced by the caregiving experience that came before it. Since every human being is different and all relationships are unique, post-caregiving can be experienced differently by each person. However, Larkin’s model is interesting because it highlights the feelings and challenges that post-caregivers are likely to experience, while also conceiving of post-caregiving as an experience influenced by caregiving. According to this model, post-caregiving is therefore not an isolated phenomenon, but rather part of the broader caregiving trajectory.

Three phases make up this model, namely: 1) the post-caring void 2) closing down the “caring time” and 3) constructing life post-caring. These stages are not linear and may overlap, but the trajectory usually ends with “constructing life post-caring.”

1- The first phase, “the post-caring void” may involve a feeling of imbalance as well as a loss of role and meaning. This phase is sometimes also accompanied by a feeling of loneliness because of the loss of the social network associated with caregiving, made up in particular by the care team. As a result, a person may feel a sense of uselessness, a loss of bearings and emptiness, especially at the beginning of the grieving process.

2- The second phase, “closing down the "caring time"” is reflected in bringing the caregiving to an end, notably through a change in routine and through activities or tasks that aim to harken a kind of closure, or conclusion. These tasks include not only those related to grief itself (arranging the funeral, managing assets, formalities, financial and legal steps), but also those specifically associated with the end of caregiving, such as settling benefits, returning medical equipment, etc.

3- The final phase, “constructing life post-caring” consists of rebuilding daily life. This may involve reconnecting with family members, volunteering, returning to work, taking courses, taking up new sports activities, gardening, outings, travel, etc.

Post-caregiving is therefore a period that can involve certain significant challenges, and psychosocial support may thus be necessary to help post-caregivers better navigate this transition.