Increased risk factors in coping with grief:

• Accumulated life losses (of all kinds)/secondary losses
• A lack of strong social support/isolation
• Physical health concerns
• Appetite changes
• Potential cognitive decline/confusion
• Heightened awareness of own mortality
• Less outward expression of grief

Grief and loss may be different for seniors compared to younger adults due to factors like:

• Accumulated life losses. Seniors have had decades of building deep connections with family and friends – careers, hobbies and other interests. These bonds are crucial to our quality of life, and when they are severed, it inevitably results in grief. Secondary losses resulting from an older adult losing a partner may suffer many losses, including financial security, a best friend, and social contacts.
• Increased social isolation – as the people in ones’ networks age and die, seniors may be lacking the necessary social support to help them in their grieving. Isolation and loneliness are pervasive issues among older people.  When someone they love dies, this loneliness only becomes more intense.  Social isolation drastically increases the risk of premature death from every cause for every race, and the risk presented is similar in magnitude to that of obesity, smoking, lack of access to care, and physical inactivity. 
• Physical health concerns: Grief often has an impact on physical health at any age, but older people are at a much higher risk for severe health problems due to increased stress levels combined with current health conditions and natural physical aging processes. Physical health issues may also make it difficult to participate in activities that might help with coping.
• Appetite changes can be a concern for grieving individuals at any age.  Many people already experience decreased appetite as they get older, which makes it more likely for older adults to skip meals and even go days without eating as a result of their grief.
• Potential cognitive decline. Confusion is a common effect of grief.  For an older person, this can be more intense and additionally include forgetfulness, disorientation, and disorganization. 
• A heightened awareness of their own mortality. The loss of a loved one can sharply remind seniors of their own mortality, leading to increased anxiety or fear of death.  Another poignant area of loss is cultural icons and people in public life—past leaders, actors, and fictional characters, which serve as constant reminders of loss and mortality in one’s own life. 
• Less outward expression of grief compared to younger people, so may appear as more withdrawn or stoic and lead to difficulty concentrating, confusion, and withdrawal.