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Helping a Grieving Friend During the Holidays
The holiday season is a special time of
year marked by festive celebrations and gatherings with family and friends, but
it can also be a difficult time for those who are grieving the loss of a loved
one. Often, friends and family members of those affected by a loss are unsure
how to act or what to say to support their loved ones during the holidays.
Here are some practical tips for how to
help:
· Be
supportive of how the person chooses to handle the holidays. Some may wish
to follow traditions; others may choose to change their rituals.
· When offering to help, be
specific. Offer to help with baking, cleaning, preparing and mailing holiday
cards or decorating.
· Offer to help with holiday
shopping or share catalogs or on-line shopping sites that may be helpful.
· Invite your friend to attend
a religious service with you and your family or to join you at your home for the
holidays.
· Donate a gift or money in
memory of your friend’s loved one. Remind the person that his or her loved on
is not forgotten.
· If he or she wants to talk
about the deceased loved one or feelings associated with the loss, LISTEN. This
can be important part of helping someone to heal. Don’t worry about being
conversational…. just listen.
· Remind the person you are
thinking of him or her and the loved one who died. Cards, phone calls and
visits are great ways to stay in touch.
· Ask if your friend is
interested in volunteering with you during the holiday season. Doing something
for someone else, such as helping at soup kitchens or working with children, may
help your loved one feel better about the holidays.
· Never tell someone that he
or she should be “over it.” Instead, give the person hope that, eventually, he
or she will enjoy the holidays again.
If you, or
a loved one, are struggling with grief and loss, the Hospice Program of Franklin
County Home Health Agency offers bereavement services to anyone in the
community. A Grief & Recovery Support Group is held on the first and third
Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Home Health office in St. Albans.
For more information, please call Franklin County Home
Health Agency at 527-7531.
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