AASW Webinar Recording | Supporting Families Experiencing Non-finite Loss and Grief Due to Chronic Illness or Lifelong Disability

Member price: $75.00 including GST (member price will display once logged in)

Non-member price: $150.00 including GST

Grief is a normal and natural reaction to any significant loss, whether that is a bereavement loss or non-death loss. Whilst an understanding of grief associated with the loss of a loved one is more commonly discussed, the grief or chronic sorrow associated with a living loss, one that is a non-finite and ambiguous loss, is often misunderstood.

The grief experience of parents and carers living with a child with a disability or chronic illness is unique and lifelong. As clinicians working with these families, social workers need to ensure that their work reflects an understanding and normalisation of the family’s experience of non-finite and ambiguous loss, and grief interventions that promote resilience.

This webinar will review the body of literature around living losses, help clinicians understand the complexity of the grief and loss experience in the context of a child’s disability or chronic illness, and explore the impact on individuals and family systems.

Case studies will be used to share the parents and carers’ perspective and identify relevant strategies for the clinician in promoting resilience in circumstances of ambiguous and non-finite loss.

"Alana is incredibly experienced and the case studies really helped bring the information to life in understanding" – webinar participant, September 2022.

Who should register? Evolving and established social work and allied health practitioners who would like to learn more about non-finite and ambiguous loss and grief, and how to better support clients.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify concepts of non-finite loss, ambiguous loss, anticipatory grief, chronic sorrow, disenfranchised grief and denial.
• Consider non-finite loss and grief theories and perspectives, defining overlapping and distinguishing features from bereavement focused theories.
• Reflect on case-based experiences of living loss through case examples from a health setting of children with acquired brain injury, lifelong disability, limb difference and chronic illness.
• Implement strategies and therapeutic interventions to support resilience in families and carers experiencing non-finite loss and grief.

AASW Credentials: Mental Health; Disability