A Patient Previously Lived with a Sister for More Than

A patient previously lived with a sister for more than 20 years. Although it has been more than a year since the sister died, the patient tells the home health nurse, "It's no worse now, but I never feel any relief from this overwhelming sadness. I still can't sleep a full night. The house is a mess; I even feel too tired to take a bath." The patient's clothing is not clean, and hair is not combed. The patient is apparently not eating adequately. What can the nurse conclude about this patient?

A) Is grieving longer than usual because of the closeness of the relationship with the sister
B) Is experiencing a depressive disorder rather than simply grieving the loss of the sister
C) Is feeling guilt and worthlessness because the sister died and the patient is still alive
D) Is interpreting the holiday as a trigger event, which is causing the patient to grieve