Honoring Pauline Boss, Ph.D.: Transforming the Family Caregiver Journey with Meaning and Hope
Duet: Partners In Health & Aging, together with our Meaning & Hope Institute, is honored to celebrate Pauline Boss, Ph.D. for her groundbreaking work that has transformed our understanding of caregiving and navigating the complexities of caring for someone with dementia. This special recognition was presented at this year’s annual Giving in the Garden Party, Duet’s signature fundraising event.
The Pioneer of Ambiguous Loss
A trailblazer in the field of psychology, Dr. Boss’s extraordinary career has made a lasting impact on the world, through her pioneering work in helping individuals and families navigate one of life’s most challenging experiences: ambiguous loss. In the 1970’s Dr. Boss first identified a complex form of grief through her work with families with absentee fathers. She coined the term “ambiguous loss” to describe a loss without resolution, and for more than fifty years, her groundbreaking work in this area has provided a compassionate framework for those experiencing the unresolved physical or psychological loss of a loved one.
A Professor Emeritus of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Boss has taught, conducted groundbreaking research, and provided clinical guidance to professionals around the globe. Dr. Boss is a trusted advisor to organizations like the International Community of the Red Cross, where her expertise on ambiguous loss has guided the organization’s global relief efforts for families and communities facing devastating situations without closure.
Dr. Boss’s impact is further validated by her election to esteemed professional bodies, including the American Psychological Association, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, and the National Council on Family Relations. Her books, including Ambiguous Loss and Loving Someone Who Has Dementia, have been translated into multiple languages, amplifying her influence worldwide and serving as essential resources for caregivers and mental health professionals alike.
Dr. Boss’s work has redefined how we understand loss, allowing family members to face the complexities of caregiving, dementia, and coping with unresolved grief with resilience and hope. Her development of seven resilience-building guidelines has given those facing ambiguous loss a path forward, providing the tools needed to live productive lives in the face of ambiguity, when someone is physically present, but psychologically absent.
Collaboration with Duet
In 2015, Duet introduced Dr. Boss’s teachings to family caregivers in a book club setting by discussing her book, Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope While Coping with Stress and Grief. The concept of having a name for the loss felt of having someone physically present, but psychologically absent – resonated deeply with the family caregivers. With funding from the Virginia G Piper Charitable Trust, Duet created Finding Meaning and Hope, a 10-part video discussion series featuring Dr. Boss in conversation with family caregivers sharing her insights on coping with ambiguous loss and how to navigate it.
Expanding Caregiver Resources
Today, Finding Meaning and Hope remains the only program of its kind in the world and is the only ambiguous loss-based program for family caregivers endorsed by Dr. Boss. Duet now offers the series throughout Maricopa County and across Arizona from Pima County to the Navajo Nation. With the recent development of the Meaning & Hope Institute, Duet now has the capacity to train and support volunteer facilitators virtually. Today, Finding Meaning and Hope is being offered by volunteer facilitators in 17 states and Canada. The life-changing impact of Finding Meaning and Hope is now backed by robust data, with 95% of Finding Meaning and Hope survey respondents reporting lower stress and an increased capacity to care for their loved ones.
“Duet is Western United States Center of Ambiguous Loss Knowledge and Application.”
– Dr. Pauline Boss
We are honored that Dr. Pauline Boss recently designated Duet as the “Western United States Center of Ambiguous Loss Knowledge and Application”—one of only three entities nationwide selected to carry forward her work. With more than 11 million Americans caring for family members with dementia, Duet remains dedicated to expanding access to Finding Meaning and Hope through a growing network of community-based organizations, medical institutions, and universities committed to bringing Dr. Boss’s transformative guidance to the family caregivers they serve.
Duet recognizes Dr. Pauline Boss for her remarkable achievements, which continue to inspire and empower countless individuals. Her legacy of empathy, expertise, and empowerment is celebrated with Duet’s highest honor, the award named after the organization’s founder, The Reverend Dr. Dosia Carlson, in gratitude for Dr. Boss’s immense contributions to caregiving. Duet is honored to carry forward the transformative work of Dr. Boss, equipping family caregivers with resources, resilience, and hope amid life’s most challenging losses.