LeadingAge to AHRQ: Grief Support Needed Across Aging Continuum

On June 28, LeadingAge submitted comments to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on a systematic literature review for a research project on Interventions to Improve Care of Bereaved Persons. Our comments highlighted the need for cross-continuum grief and bereavement assessments, interventions, and resources, including in settings outside of traditional hospice care, like affordable senior housing. We also stressed the need to equip aging services providers in assisting older adults navigating a variety of grief and loss, including loss of identity and "disenfranchisement loss" resulting from the aging process. LeadingAge requested the appropriations report language in the FY2023 budget that led to the development of this report which will be followed by a subject matter expert panel to assess the feasibility of developing consensus-based quality standards for bereavement and grief care. Findings from this review will inform an independent subject matter expert panel that will assess the feasibility of developing consensus-based quality standards for high quality bereavement and grief care. Thank you to all the members who provided input on these comments.