When a friend or family member loses someone they care about, you may want to show your support but be unsure of how. Each person will experience grief in a different way, this means that their needs will change over time. Often the first few weeks can be the time where they need to most support, so let’s have a look at some of the things you can do to show your support.
The days straight after someone has passed are likely to be an extremely emotional time. They will be overwhelmed with grief, or in shock or numb. This time is the right time to show your support and offer comfort to the bereaved person. They may not seem like they want it, but they need their friends and family for support. There are several ways you can do this, both online and in person. Here are just a few for you to consider.
Share Your Sympathies
If you have heard that someone has passed, you should get in touch and acknowledge the loss, and share your sympathies. If you are close to the person you may want to visit or call, however, a text or card may be less invasive during this time.
Let Them Know You Are There
Let the person who is grieving that you are there to talk or listen if they need it. They may say no, not ready to respond, or take you up on the offer, but the important thing is that you let them know they can come to you if they need someone. When you are grieving it’s good to feel supported and cared for. If they’re not ready to talk, leave them until they are.
Share A Memory Or Story
If you also knew the person who passed, you may want to share a memory, a story about them, or even a picture you have of you together. It’s best to choose a positive story and make sure the focus is on the person who has died, instead of you. Things like this can offer a big comfort to someone who is grieving, but you do you need to make sure you think about the right time to share these. It’s best to stay away from sharing these kinds of things on social media and just keep it personal. Whether it’s in a card, on the phone, or in person, make sure it’s not online unless it has been asked from you.
Do Something Practical
If someone was really close to the person who has died, they are going to be faced with a fair few practical tasks that they need to sort out. Things like letting people know about the death and burials arrangements, and arranging the funeral. If it’s right to do so, you could offer to help with these, or you could take on other tasks such as cooking a meal, doing housework, looking after the children, or food shopping to enable them the time to sort it out.
These are just a few of the ways that you can offer your support to someone when they have lost someone they love, remember everyone grieves differently so just offer the support that they seem like they need but never push them.
This is a collaborative post
