Widows show third-year rebound

A widow typically struggles with grief immediately after her husband dies. By 3 years after the loss, however, these women have largely overcome grief-related problems, such as depression, social isolation, bodily pains, and poor eating habits, according to a large U.S. study of 50- to 79-year-olds.

The findings underscore the resilience of older women faced with sea changes in their lives, say Sara Wilcox of the University of South Carolina in Columbia and her coworkers.