Helping The Bereaved Work Through Their Loss

There will come a time in your life that you might be given the chance or opportunity to help or comfort somebody who has lost a loved one or even a beloved pet, work through their grief and loss. Treat the person who is experiencing grief and loss as you would also want to be treated if you were in their situation. Some individuals react and cope to loss in some different ways: some might break down and cry, some may become too withdrawn or some may fall into a deep state of depression, all but unable to function their usual daily activities. So, as a friend, what can you do-- here are a few tips: 1. If you are acquainted with friends or relatives of the bereaved who might be coming into town for the funeral, try offering to let them stay at your home in the meantime. It is quite difficult to convey what a heavy burden is lifted from the griever not to have guests in their homes to take care and worry about. You can also offer to run daily errands, volunteer to answer the phone, or go to the grocery store or the post office. 2. If the bereaved simply wants to talk and converse about their grief, listen. For most people, this can be a big help. This may be the one thing you could do to help which helps more than you would ever know or imagine. So very few people have the inclination or the time, to simply listen to other people who are experiencing grief. However, if the bereaved does not want to talk at all, then stop pressing them. They may be more receptive or responsive whenever they’re ready. If you want to comment on something, just keep your tone positive and your voice as soft as you can 3. If the bereaved wants to grieve privately, you could (quietly) clean and scrub the floors, do a little dusting, or run the dishwasher. The grieving individual will not be likely to be further upset to hear the common sounds in the household—actually, they might even be comforting, with the subtle message that means, “life goes on.”4. If the bereaved is all but not being able to function their daily tasks, try to encourage them to go and see their doctor. Joining a support group can be a great help also, and bear in mind that depression could be treated. 5. If you personally knew the departed person, you may even want to contribute to their chosen favorite charity in their name or in the name of the bereaved; you can also make a contribution to the cost of the headstone. An unforgettable way to commemorate the lost loved one is to create a tribute for them, written by a professional writer and published in a book. You can visit http://www.worthrememberingpublishing.com so they can arrange for this. Just try to be there for them—they might not be able to say to you for some time how much this really means to them, and your presence itself may be a great blessing.