Broken Heart Syndrome and How to Help Those Who are Grieving

In his documentary about grief, George Shelley uses the analogy of glitter. If you toss glitter into the air, it’ll land in all of the cracks and crevices of the room, and it’ll be nearly impossible to fully sweep up and remove. Individuals who have lost a loved one can relate. Yet in some instances, grief may be so overwhelming that it can result in a serious and aptly-named condition: broken heart syndrome.

Broken heart syndrome is a very real physical condition due to the intense stress experienced in certain types of grief (such as one spouse losing the other after decades of marriage). The medical term is takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a temporary enlargement of the heart that prevents it from pumping blood effectively.

Broken heart syndrome is more common than many people know. A number of high-visibility examples include Johnny Cash, who passed away just four months after the loss of his wife and George H.W. Bush, who became ill following the loss of his wife of 73 years.

There are decades worth of research studying the effects of grief on a person’s physical health.  In 1995, for instance, the term “widowhood effect” was coined to explain the thirty percent increase in mortality rate faced by individuals who lost a longtime partner. Other scientists determined a connection between the immune system and grief. Sometimes, surviving spouses simply no longer have the strength to live.

Help prevent this condition and ease the pain of grief for someone you love with these tips.

• Provide a listening ear and encourage the person to express their grief in a healthy way.
• Talk about the lost loved one, allowing the opportunity for shared stories and memories.
• Help the person stay engaged in comforting, enjoyable activities as much as possible.
• Look for a grief support group for the person to attend, either virtually or in person.
• Make sure the person is staying hydrated, eating healthy foods, and getting a lot of sleep.
• Emphasize to the person everything they have to live for, and that doing so is the best way to honor the lost loved one’s legacy.
• Suggest the senior speak with a therapist to work through overwhelming emotions.

A trained caregiving companion from Responsive Home Care is also a great way to help a senior who is grieving. We offer socialization and an abundance of opportunities for reminiscing and conversations, along with engaging activities, and more. Contact our home care professionals online or at (954) 486-6440 for a free in-home consultation to find out more about our Fort Lauderdale senior home care and care throughout the surrounding areas.