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Beyond Bereavement: Understanding Grief, Loss, and Resilience in Later Life
Older adults may experience the loss of health, independence, identity, relationships, community, and cherished roles, while also navigating cumulative grief shaped by caregiving, structural inequities, and life transitions. This interactive training explores the neuroscience of grief, diverse experiences of loss in older adulthood, and practical, healing-centered approaches that help professionals respond with compassion, cultural humility, and evidence-informed care.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how grief affects the brain, body, and behavior in older adulthood, including the impacts of cumulative loss and chronic stress.
Recognize multiple forms of grief experienced by older adults, including bereavement, anticipatory grief, ambiguous loss, caregiver grief, disenfranchised grief, and losses related to health, identity, and independence.
Apply healing-centered, culturally responsive strategies that foster connection, dignity, and resilience when supporting grieving older adults, families, caregivers, and communities.
Dr. Sarina Saturn is a neuroscientist, educator, and healing-centered facilitator whose work explores the intersections of grief, trauma, compassion, and resilience. Drawing on research in neuroscience, psychology, public health, and community-based practice, she creates engaging trainings that integrate science with culturally responsive, relationship-centered approaches to care. Dr. Saturn has taught and trained healthcare professionals, counselors, educators, judges, and community leaders, focusing on supporting well-being in the face of chronic stress, loss, and adversity.