ABSTRACT
Bereavement support for the family, both before and after a patient’s death, is generally considered to be an integral part of a palliative care program. The Ottawa Regional Palliative Care Centre embarked on a research project, the goal of which is to identify and quantify the circumstances, both external and internal, that predispose people to cope or not cope well with the death of someone significant to them. The chapter presents a case study to describe the situation of a particular young woman whose husband died at the Centre and who is referred to as “Laura.” In presenting Laura’s life history and psychological situation, it becomes apparent that she was considered to be at high risk for having serious problems after the death of her husband. These risks are discussed, followed by an account of how her situation has evolved during the past year.
