Spousal Bereavement: The Lived Experience of Young Canadian Widows

Abstract

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand the lived experience of spousal bereavement from the perspective of young Canadian widows. Five themes emerged following inductive analysis of interview transcripts conducted with five women who were under the age of 45 at the time of their husband's death: a) “Losses”; b) “Who Am I?”; c) “Staying Connected through Memories”; d) “Living through the Firsts”; and e) “Support Systems.” Increased understanding from the perspective of the bereaved women, along with strategies and interventions for those working with this group of women, may provide health care professionals with skills to better assist this client population.