• Frailty
• Chronic health conditions
• Dementia
• Change in illness trajectories

Health and medical complications increase with age and can make process of grieving more difficult sometimes – as peoples’ sleep, overall mental health, eating and general self care are impacted by loss.

As the population ages, rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and dementia are increasing.

Mental illness and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are also a concern.

Health inequities persist, with some populations experiencing poorer health outcomes than the average Canadian.

Health issues that may impact a senior’s response to loss and grief include:

• Frailty: Frailty/ diminishing is not defined by a single condition, but rather a health state characterized by an increased risk of physical, mental, or social decline, deterioration of health status, and death. For an individual living with frailty, even fairly minor health events can trigger major changes in an individual’s health status.
• Chronic health conditions. •• Nearly three-quarters of Canadians over 65 have at least one chronic health condition Statscan.gc.ca)
• Dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. Over 747,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – that’s 15% of Canadians 65 and older. By 2030, researchers project that nearly 1 million people in Canada will be living with dementia. And they forecast that more than 1.7 million people in Canada will have dementia by 2050.
• Modern medicine is getting better and better at staving off death. Many illnesses that were once terminal upon diagnosis are now chronic conditions. As a result of these new illness trajectories, we may live longer, but often with the cost of increased needs for care and loss of abilities, independence, and overall quality of life.