A DUAL PROCESS INTERVENTION
STUDY FOR RECENTLY
BEREAVED SPOUSES
Program funded by National Institute on Aging
Grant #R01 AG023090
Principal Investigator: Michael Caserta, Ph.D.
University of Utah
Co-Investigator: Dale Lund, Ph.D.
University of Utah
Co-Investigator and Site PI: Brian de Vries, Ph.D
San Francisco State University
Project Site Director (University of Utah): Rebecca Utz, Ph.D.
Contact information:Salt Lake City phone: 801-581-7954 (with voice mail)
San Francisco phone: 415-405-7582 (with voice mail)
E-mail:livingafterloss@nurs.utah.edu
Overview
Specifics
Quotes From Previous Participants
Research & Program Staff
Additional Project Resources (e.g. Local Resources; Suggested Reading List)
Living After Loss SM Research Project
Overview
Living After LossSM is both a program and a research study designed to help improve the quality of daily life
of recently widowed men and women over the age of 50. Losing a spouse can impact nearly
every aspect of one's life and usually requires emotional, social, physical, spiritual and
other kinds of adjustments. We have found that many widows and widowers appear to adjust much
better if they learn new skills and receive support through sharing experiences with others.
Living After LossSM is a free program that has been developed from over 25 years of research by faculty at the University of Utah, San Francisco State University and work done by others throughout the U.S. and other countries. We have learned a great deal about how to help people through their grief and be better prepared to manage many of the long-term adjustments that follow. The Program is not only for those who feel they are having the most difficulty, as the sharing and learning environment applies to everyone. Because we are offering this Program as part of a larger research study (funded by the National Institute on Aging) we are inviting recently widowed persons whom we identify through official State Health Services records. Participants in the Program will also have the added satisfaction of knowing that they are contributing to a study that has national and international importance and will benefit many others in the future. In appreciation, each widowed participant will receive $25 each time they complete one of the four scheduled questionnaires during the study.
Some Specifics About the Project
Recently widowed persons living in San Francisco and Salt Lake City will participate in the Living After LossSM Project during 2005-2009. Each person will be asked to attend 14 weekly sessions that last about 90 minutes each. Before the sessions begin, each person will complete a questionnaire, sign a consent form and then complete 3 additional questionnaires after the 14 sessions end.
The 14 sessions will be led by professionals trained by the project faculty and staff. The sessions will provide opportunities to share experiences, learn new helpful skills and ideas, receive support from others, meet new interesting people, and benefit from knowing that we are learning from you as well.
Participants from all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds are encouraged to participate and all meetings will be conducted with cultural sensitivity, respect for individual differences and confidentiality.
The weekly meetings will be held at local senior centers, libraries or other convenient and safe public locations. Assistance with arranging transportation will be provided if needed.
Valuable printed materials will be provided free to all participants.
Frequently Asked Questions for Participants (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions for Community Representatives (FAQ)
Quotes From Previous Participants
Media Announcement for Participants (Audio MP3 file - 60 seconds)
Others have said the following about their participation in our past programs.
- Helped me to learn that life is different but it is still good and that I can be happy.
- It was nice to meet other widows and widowers who had much in common and we learned from each other.
- It gave me the self-confidence to cope with all the problems of being alone.
- It gave me hope for the future and in myself and ways to set goals and encouragement to follow through with them.
- I am more eager to make new friends and enjoy fun and relaxation and make positive contributions to others and society.
- Found helpful ideas in managing my household and understanding self.
- I am definitely more assertive.
- I learned something from every class.
- I’m doing things that I never thought I could do.
- I desperately needed contact with people outside my family and the empathy of others in similar circumstances. Thank you.
- I had a great need for help in coping with grief and you supplied the tools to help me survive.
Project Staff
The Living After LossSM Project is funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging to find the most effective ways to help recently widowed people age 50+ to cope with the many difficulties associated with grief and long-term adjustments.Faculty at the University of Utah Center on Aging and San Francisco State University Gerontology Program are working together on this project so participants will be limited to Salt Lake City and San Francisco. The research team includes the Principal Investigator, Dr. Michael Caserta (U of U), the Co-Investigators, Dr. Dale Lund, (U of U) and Dr. Brian de Vries (SFSU), the Project Site Directors, Dr. Rebecca Utz (U of U) and Dr. Sodonia Wilson (SFSU),
Grief Specialist, Shirley Rossa (U of U) and Statistician, Dr. William Dudley (U of U). The research consultants are; Dr. Judith Hays (Duke U.), Dr. Bert Hayslip (U. of North Texas) and Dr. Marilyn Skaff (UC-San Francisco).
Additional Project Resources
Suggested Reading List (PDF Version, 108KB) 
Local Bereavement Resources:
To receive a list of agencies/organizations that provide bereavement support services in the Salt Lake County &
San Francisco metro area please e-mail: livingafterloss@nurs.utah.edu
or
call:
(801) 581-7954 (Salt Lake City)
( 415) 405-7582 (San Francisco)
