Death and dying: implications for inpatient, psychiatric care

Under a traditional medical model, discussion of issues related to death and dying are usually avoided with clients who hold a psychiatric diagnosis. Too often the result is that individuals in inpatient, psychiatric facilities are left to face grief without emotional or spiritual support. With its focus on the individual, family, and community involvement, and fostering independence, the psychosocial model affords an opportunity to change how mental health professionals address the topic of death. In this article the authors give practical suggestions for working with clients who are dying or who have experienced the death of a loved one. Two case studies are used to illustrate how these ideas can be translated into action.