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Pauline Boss

Critical Dementia Skill #2 Understanding Ambiguous Loss

Written by M. Estrade on 13th April 2020 Blog

This is the second installment in the Critical Dementia Skills (CDS) series. For more information on the series, start HERE. You can also click on the CDS tags in the blog for more. If you, like so many dementia care partners, have thought that you are grieving the loss of a spouse, parent, or friend even though they are still alive, there is a good chance that you are experiencing ‘ambiguous loss.” While this is feeling is not a litmus test as to if you have it,

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What is Ambiguous Loss ?

Written by M. Estrade on 16th October 2018 Blog

It’s called “ambiguous loss,” that complicated grief that impacts many dementia care partners because their loved one is “physically present, but psychologically absent.” Professor Emeritus Pauline Boss has been studying ambiguous loss since it was the topic of her doctoral dissertation over forty years ago. I discovered ambiguous loss while listening to a podcast three years ago and it made me think about my support group members who said they were grieving the loss of the loved one,

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Finding Meaning in Care Partnering

Written by M. Estrade on 7th October 2018 Blog

I believe that one of the most powerful tools in the dementia care partner’s toolbox is finding meaning in the challenging situation. I also feel that one of the most difficult topics to bring up is the same…finding meaning. After all, who am I to suggest that there is a purpose in this ordeal, or losing a spouse to the syndrome, or as some put it “becoming a parent to my parent”? Sometimes I will throw the topic it out to my support group and pray to not get dirty looks,

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