Acompañar a las familias en el duelo de un ser querido

Resumen

Throughout their life, all human beings suffer to a greater or lesser extent the grief due to a loss. It is an inevitable experience which causes suffer- ing, but it also can be an opportunity for pastoral support. It is proposed a model in which the bereavement is considered as four tasks to carry out by the person who has lost his/her relative: a) to accept the fact of the loss, b) to work on the emotions and the pain of grief, c) to adjust oneself to the environment where the deceased is absent and d) to emotionally relocate the deceased and move on with life. It is briefly discussed a number of factors related to adaptation of the relatives to a death of the loved one. The aim of pastoral care is to identify and facilitate the resolution of difficulties that are preventing the person from completing the tasks of mourning. Grief is unique, no one will respond to the death of someone we loved in exactly the same way. Pastoral agents may not know exactly what to say or what to do. They don't need to have answers or give advices. The most important thing they can do for a grieving person is 'simply' to be there.