Families Making Sense of Death

Through interviews and analysis the author explores the healing process within the family context and looks at the dynamics at work in families in which a member has died. With a keen sense of empathy the author shares stories which show how gradually families come to terms with their grief and make sense of the death as time goes by. This `family meaning-making is not a linear process; it is alternately stimulated and inhibited within a family. The author draws conclusions from her research about which particular social factors and conditions play a role in the overall outcome. She succeeds in showing not only how different families cope with death within the family but also how skilful and sensitive field research