Have you ever noticed an elderly couple going about their normal daily activities and thinking to yourself, what would they do without each other? Many of us have elderly relatives who are married or have someone we have a close bond with, like a best friend, and we believe they keep each other alive. We are all born to die, but the way we face death is different. When someone dies, those affected may feel depressed, sad, and even angry. Looking at death from a different perspective, such as that of a loved one going to a better place, rather than a loss can make relatives celebrate. This is usually the case when the cause of death is natural. When the death of a spouse is due to a traumatic event, loved ones are left with many questions that they may live with for the rest of their lives. We may continue to live a normal life once the emotional pain is suppressed. I use the term euthanize, because it is unclear whether anyone can ever "get over" the death of a loved one. Bereavement in the elderly can cause the partner to feel alone, become ill and often die soon after. When an older person's partner dies, what is their mental state? According to Lund, the mental health of many older spouses is not as devastating as expected, although loneliness and problems associated with life tasks are the most common and difficult adult adjustments (Meiner, 2011). Research reported in the Journal of Gerontologic Nursing (JOGN) indicates that the assessment tool, Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), can assess thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with separation distress, including… excessive loneliness (Barron & Minton, 2008). Additionally, you can take another test to assess the pro... half of the paper... to make the person feel better too quickly. Instead, you should assist the older person through the grieving process which is normal and healthy (Meiner, 2011) Works Cited Barron, C., Minton, M. (2008). Assessing marital bereavement: A review of bereavement-specific measures. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Vol. 34, no. 8, 34-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhostElwert, F., and Christakis, N. (2008). The effect of widowhood on mortality through the causes of death of both spouses. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 98(11), 2092-2098. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Howie, L., Mcintyre, G. (2002). Adapting to widowhood through meaningful occupations: A case study. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol. 9, 54-62. Retrieved from EBSCOhostMeiner, S. (2011). Loss and end-of-life issues. In P. Burbank and J. Miller (Eds.), Gerontologic Nursing (pp. 351-365)