Grief and loss of a dying middle-aged adultIn case of loss of something dear and close to heart, there are certain changes in the life cycle of the individual , in his reaction to grief and loss. Grief is defined by the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as “deep and poignant distress caused by bereavement,” where bereavement refers to “the death of a loved one.” Each age group has a different way of adapting to such a loss. Loss can happen to anyone at any time throughout life. Within the nursing profession, it is important to understand and respond professionally to the grief and loss experienced by patients and their families. In this essay, the discussion will focus on the middle adult age group and their response to grief and loss. This essay will also discuss the analysis of these effects using Kubler Ross and his theories to explain the stages of grief and loss that a 42-year-old man goes through after recently being diagnosed with terminal Hodgkin lymphoma. He is married, has children and is coming to terms with death and dying. Nursing strategies will also be explored on how to care for these patients. Age Group For middle adulthood, the age ranges from 40 to 60 years according to Levinson's developmental periods (Hoffung et al, 2010). Middle adulthood is characterized by changes such as physical decline, occupational peaks, and the formation of new relationships. Learning that death is near depresses these individuals and arouses fear of not accomplishing what they had planned. A man is more prone to premature death, mainly due to the health behaviors he develops during his young adulthood. Additionally, they undergo many reevaluations of decisions made early in their careers and new choices that continue...... middle of article ......e, A., Ward, L. and Quinn , A. (2010). Lifespan development. John Wiley & Sons. Iranmanesh, S., Axelsson, K., Sävenstedt, S. and Häggstrom, T. (2010). Caring for and encountering death: experiences of Iranian and Swedish nurses. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 16(2), 90.Hubble, R., Trowbridge, K., Claudia, H., Ahsens, L. and Smith, P.W. (2008). Effectively using communication to improve the delivery of pediatric palliative care in an acute care setting. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 1(1), 45-50. Kacperek, L. (1997). Nonverbal communication: The importance of listening. Br. J Nurses, 6(5). 275-279. Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. Macmillan, New York. Merriam Webster. www.merriam-webster.com. Accessed March 13, 2014Smith, M. and Segal, J. (2013). Dealing with grief and loss. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grief_loss.htm