Open Access Journal
QUALIS
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
Open Access Journal
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
A B S T R A C T
Anticipatory grief is an emotional and psychological process experienced prior to the actual loss of a loved one, especially in palliative care contexts. This study aims to understand anticipatory grief in elderly patients receiving palliative care, emphasizing the role of psychology and multidisciplinary care. This is a qualitative literature review conducted through sachés in Google Scholar using the descriptors “anticipatory grief,” “elderly,” “palliative care,” and “psychology.” Twenty-seven articles, mostly published between 2022 and 2025, were selected, in addition to some relevant previous studies. The results indicate that anticipatory grief significantly affects the emotional state of elderly patients and their families, involving feelings such as anxiety, sadness, fear, and acceptance. Effective communication between healthcare teams, patients, and families, along with social support networks and religiosity, were identified as protective factors in the grieving process. It is concluded that a multidisciplinary approach, particularly psychological intervention, is essential to humanize care and enhance quality of life during terminal illness.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ketlyllin Kamylle da Silva, Tarciana Raquel Fortunato, Taynara Lopes Ferreira Da Silva, Camilla Guerra Lopes Santos