The Coping Context of Anticipatory Grief for HIV Case Managers

In the early phase of HIV/AIDS the exorbitant rate of death impeded the case managers’ ability to effectively engage the client in preparing for an impending death outcome. In the post-HAART era, case managers are charged with assessing and coordinating a circle of care related to a chronic illness. This article examines the context of anticipatory grief as a framework for addressing HIV as a chronic illness. A spectrum of strategies are provided for coping with anticipatory grief and multiple losses related to providing services to those HIV/AIDS infected.