Journal of palliative medicine
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Multicenter Study
Preparedness for the death of a loved one and mental health in bereaved caregivers of patients with dementia: findings from the REACH study.
Although it has been suggested that family and friends who are prepared for the death of a loved one have less distress, the relationship between preparedness and bereavement mental health is inconclusive. ⋯ Despite providing high-intensity care, often for years, many bereaved caregivers perceived themselves as unprepared for the death. These caregivers had more depression, anxiety, and complicated grief symptoms. Future work should be directed to confirming these findings and determining how best to intervene with high-risk caregivers.