Accordingly, the challenge of finding a new meaning in life can lead to identity crisis in oneвЂ™s life. Losing a child can even change the meaning of life.

It is this meaning that gives shape to their responses and actions in life. It is very important to know what the meaning of this phenomenon is in the mind of parents, as this meaning can function either as an incentive to help them cope with the crisis or an obstacle preventing them from adaptation to the new situation. The meaning of losing a child in parents can be shaped in relation to themselves and their child or in interaction with others. Therefore, losing a child for the older adults can have a special meaning.ДЄfter losing a child, parents look for a meaning and concept in this phenomenon which is derived from their experiences. In such cultures, children are considered as the most important source of support in old age. In Eastern societies, children play a key role in the family structure and are responsible for looking after their old parents. The relationship between the older adults and their children varies in different cultures. The coexistence of various losses in old age, such as retirement, children leaving home, and reduced health can jeopardize the older adultsвЂ™ mental health, decreasing their vitality, self-confidence, and sense of usefulness. Because of the internal factors associated with the aging process, they are more vulnerable to the effects of loss.

As the elderly population increases, more old people may experience the loss of a child. Losing a child is a stressful event which may be experienced in old age. But, mourning the loss of a child can continue for a long time in the life of the parents, so that after such an event, a deep gap is made between some parents and the external world, affecting their interpersonal relationships and social functions and leading to their isolation. Naturally, after losing a loved one, the acute symptoms of grief subside gradually so that the grieving person can return to normal functioning within 1 to 2вЂ‰months. The grief caused by this loss is more intense and perdurable than other types of grief. Mourning the loss of a deceased child can involve a wide range of emotions. This psychological trauma has been compared in some studies to a hole in heart or amputation. Parents often feel helpless after this incident. The loss of a child is one of the worst life events that can be experienced by parents and facing it can cause many physical, mental and emotional stresses. After identifying the parents with a deceased child, they should be helped through psychological counseling and care of the healthcare team so that they can adapt to this situation by finding a positive meaning in losing their child. ConclusionsДespite the grief of losing a child, which had cast a dark shadow over the parentsвЂ™ lives, the childвЂ™s liberation from worldly sufferings, his/her presence in a better world, and being hopeful about the grace of God had caused the elderly parents to find hope in the heart of darkness. The two main categories of вЂњtasting the bitter flavor of lifeвЂќ and вЂњsearching for a positive meaning in losing a childвЂќ together with the theme of вЂњfinding hope in the heart of darknessвЂќ were extracted from the participantsвЂ™ experiences.

The age range of participants was between 61 and 83вЂ‰years and 73.3% of them were female. To prove the trustworthiness of the data, credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability were used. Data analysis was performed according to the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman, 2004. Using semi-structured face-to-face interviews, data were collected from 15 older adults who had experienced of losing their adult child. This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis method. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of вЂњunderstanding the meaning of losing a child in older adults.вЂќ Methods This meaning comes out from their experiences, and their responses to and actions in life are shaped based on this meaning. After losing their child, elderly parents look for a meaning in this phenomenon.

Nest coding maxqda