Narratives of a grief experience: widows' perspectives on an ongoing grief support group

This study was designed to better understand the experiences of widows who join and remain in "widow-to-widow" ongoing support groups. This research study explored the meanings 12 widows attribute to being in twice-weekly contact with one another. An interpretive phenomenological perspective informed the examination of their lived experiences. The participants were asked to report on their experiences beginning around the time of their husband's death, continuing into the experiences in the time-limited group, through the early part of the group formation and experiences over the time the ongoing support group has been together. The present study compiled individual accounts of the widows' understanding of what has been helpful within an ongoing widow-to-widow support group and their perception of the outcomes.