Complicated grief extends time to heal

Dear Doctors: My mother and stepfather were married for 42 years when he passed away suddenly. That was a year ago, and she’s still struggling. I talked to my doctor about it, and he said it sounds like “complicated grief.” I’ve never heard of that. What can we do to help her?

Dear Reader: Grief is a response to loss that is so profound, it can temporarily disrupt our most basic connections to dail…