New Milton Advertiser - Coping With Loss 2021

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COPING WITH YOUR LOSS

A recent study by the Harvard Medical School shows bereaved people are 21 times more likely to have a heart attack the day after their loss. Close relatives and friends are six times more at risk of a heart attack, even the week after a ‘significant other’ dies. Look after your health during bereavement

significant impact on loved ones’ mental and physical health.

resilience is as good as it can be in the event of a bereavement by looking after your health now.” He says it is important therefore to be especially vigilant in following a healthy regime, avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking any medication needed. While there’s an established association between anxiety, depression and heart disease, Knapton points out: “It’s not that everybody who’s bereaved gets depressed, but if you do, it’s bad for the heart.” Whilst the possibility of a heart attack is definitely a risk it is not the only serious health problem linked to grieving. In 2007 Dr Margaret Stroebe, of Utrecht University in the Netherlands carried out a review of mortality and bereavement, which was published in The Lancet. She found that the risk of death from any cause increases by up to a fifth following bereavement. For widowers this appeared to be linked to an increase in the level of alcohol consumption following the

Stressing that Cruse can help people cope with grief through face-to- face, telephone and online support, she advises: “It’s very hard, but grieving people need to take care of themselves; eating regularly, trying to get rest, taking exercise, not resorting to alcohol or drugs and seeking support from an organisation like Cruse, or their GP, if they’re concerned about their health.” She adds that sometimes worrying symptoms are caused by anxiety, rather than a serious health problem. “Although there’s an association between bereavement and heart attacks, anxiety - which is natural after a bereavement - can also cause heart palpitations and other physical symptoms,” she explains. “If you’re worried, consult your doctor, but not with the assumption that anything’s wrong.”

Elizabeth Mostofsky, lead author of the new study on bereavement and heart attacks, explains: “Grief is known to cause feelings of depression, anger and anxiety, and those emotions can cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and blood clotting.

less than one in 1000, depending on the individual’s previous heart health.

is taking care of themselves and that should all be aware of the sharply increased risks during the grieving period. “Having social support during this intense emotional experience may help mitigate the risk,” she explains. Mostofsky stresses that any possible signs of a heart attack, such as chest discomfort, upper body or stomach pain, shortness of breath, breaking into a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness shouldn’t just be dismissed. “If a bereaved person is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, they shouldn’t ignore it and put it down to the fact that they’re dealing with a stressful experience,” she warns, “they should take it seriously and seek medical attention.” Her advice is backed up by Dr Mike Knapton, the British Heart Foundation’s associate medical director.”Obviously you can’t do anything about a bereavement, so the message is to think about your cardiovascular risk now,” he concurs. “The key is to make sure your

Nearly 2000 people who’d survived a heart attack, with an average age of 61, were questioned by the Harvard researchers. They wanted to know if they’d recently lost anyone significant in their lives, and how meaningful the loss was. For some people, the death of a ‘significant other’ meant relatives, for others it was friends or neighbours. Among those taking part in the study, 270 (13.6%) had lost a significant person in the previous six months; of those 19 had experienced their loss no more than a day before their heart attack. As bereavement is unavoidable, lowering long-term risk factors is the best way to prevent a heart attack as you grieve, says Mostofsky. “By improving diet and exercising, you’re less likely to have this response to a bereavement. Cutting down on your baseline risk is always a good idea.”

“Those factors can in turn increase the chances of having a heart attack.”

Other factors which influence the likelihood of a heart attack include less sleep and eating poorly. The bereaved also have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Bereavement is also a time when people can forget to take any regular medications, warns Mostofsky: “A heart attack is always due to a confluence of risk factors - the perfect storm. “A person has to be both at risk and have the loss. The body has to be vulnerable to that event.” Perhaps not surprisingly, the study found that the risk of heart attack for the newly bereaved increased if they already had poor heart health. This could range from about one in 300 to

death of a partner. For widows, the possible cause of increased mortality risk was not so clear, but intense loneliness and psychological distress were definitely factors, bearing out the possibility of suffering from a broken heart.

Debbie Kerslake, chief executive of Cruse

Bereavement Care, says all the research highlights the vital need to provide support for bereaved people, as a death can have a

She says it is important that families make sure that the bereaved person

New Forest Disability

New Forest District Council has linked up with local charity New Forest Disability, to promote adaptations to help people stay independent in their homes. New Forest Disability provides free, impartial, confidential information and advice to those of any age and any disability, throughout the New Forest area. What we can help with Funding is available to assist New Forest residents with a disability to live safely, independently and with dignity in their own homes. We can help with a wide range of adaptations, including: • Installing a level access shower. • Widening doors for wheelchair access. We can also assist with arranging a needs assessment, surveyor and builder to carry out the work. Loans are also available to help with essential work such as roof and window repairs or a broken boiler. Loans are administered by the Parity Trust, a charitable organisation. Who can apply Council or housing association tenants, private tenants and home owners can apply. Applications for adults will be means tested and you may have to contribute to the cost. Applications for children are not means tested. Please call New Forest District Council for more information - 023 8028 5151. • Fitting grab rails, ramps or stair lifts.

New Forest Disability

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Independence Matters Independence Matters Do you have difficulty using your bath, or find stairs and steps difficult? New Forest District Council offer grants and loans for adaptations to your home that could help make your life easier. Do you have difficulty using your bath, or find stairs and steps difficult? New Forest District Council offer grants and loans for adaptations to your home that could help make your life easier. Please contact our Private Sector Housing team on 023 8028 5151 for f rther details.

New Forest District Council Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire. SO43 7PN • 023 8028 5151

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New Forest Disability NFDIS Head Office, 6 Osborne Road, New Milton, Hampshire. BH25 6AD • 01425 628750 newforestdis.org.uk • info@newforestdis.org.uk NF_Disabil ity • New-Forest-Disabi l ity

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