Restorative activities among bereaved caregivers of nursing home patients

This prospective study examined predictors and correlates of restorative activities in recently bereaved caregivers and their relation to post-bereavement adjustment, namely complicated grief. Participants included 89 caregivers (CGs) age 32-87 (M age - 63 years) whose care recipients recently died in a long-term care facility (M time since loss = 107 days). Our findings show that being prepared prior to death enables CGs the opportunity to engage in restorative activities post death. Restorative activities partially mediated the relationship between preparedness prior to death and complicated grief, but this association was attenuated in multivariable models. It is possible that being prepared prior to death allows CGs to engage in restorative activities post-death, which in turn decreases complicated grief. More research is needed in diverse populations of CGs to determine how restorative activities may impact post-bereavement adjustment.