Food, flowers and physical presence are among the many thoughtful expressions. After the funeral, however, many grieving people wonder what happened to their friends. They need their support and caring even more when the reality begins to hit and the long process of grief begins. Their help is essential since immediate family members have their hands full of grief and may find it difficult to give support to one another, or may not live nearby. Your help and understanding can make a significant difference in the healing of another's grief.
Unresolved grief can lead to physical or mental illness, suicide or premature death.
A grieving person needs friends willing to cry with them, sit with them, care, listen, have creative ideas for coping, be honest, help them feel loved and needed, and believe they will make it through their grief. Ways of helping grieving people are as limitless as your imagination. Read about the various phases of grief so you can understand and help the bereaved to understand. All that is necessary is a hand squeeze, a kiss, a hug, your presence. It is not necessary to ask questions about how the death happened.