Ambiguous Loss: Mourning the Person You Knew Before Dementia

In this episode, Host Dawn Platt engages in a heartfelt conversation with her colleague and friend EJ about navigating the complexities of ambiguous loss, drawing from personal experiences with EJ's mother-in-law. Ambiguous loss is one's profound sense of loss and sadness not from the actual death of their loved one, but from the loss or change of the person they knew as a result of dementia or other personality change. They explore the challenges caregivers encounter as well as coping mechanisms for adapting to evolving relationships with loved ones affected by dementia. Delving into the impact of ambiguous loss, they shed light on its potential to alter family dynamics, trigger intricate grief responses, and hinder closure or resolution in conflicts.