The Immediacy of Loss and Grief

Providing grief resources is among the cremation services offered in Glendale, AZ. Grief is the inevitable result of the death of a loved one. There is no way around it for anyone who loses someone they love.

However, everyone wears the face of grief differently. Some people grieve very openly and their raw expressions of sadness and sorrow can seem overwhelming and, sometimes, hard to watch and bear. When you ask them what they need, they may express an outpouring of feelings that you can’t do anything about nor can you abate in a meaningful way.

Other people grieve inwardly. They may not have many tears that you see. They may be silent, or seem exceptionally stoic. When you ask them what they need, they may simply tell you that they don’t know. When someone who is grieving says this to you, they are not being evasive. They truly don’t know because they are still internally processing the death of someone they love.

However, as daunting as these faces of grief can be, there are some positive ways that you can help in the immediacy of loss. Words and actions matter a lot when emotions are high and feelings are intense, so it’s important to be mindful of what can help and what can hurt.

If you don’t know what to say to someone who is grieving, then simply show up and be there. In the immediacy of death there are a lot of things that need to be done that the bereaved person or family members simply can’t do and won’t think to do.

If the bereaved person or family was caregiving for a terminally ill family member who was in hospice care at home, and you are among their first contacts, get to their house as quickly as you can.

You likely will get there before the hospice nurse does, so take care of those grieving first. Make sure they have what they need. When the hospice nurse gets there, you can help by taking dirty laundry and making sure it gets washed. Make sure they have all the information they need by guiding the responsible family member when questions are asked.

When the funeral home is contacted, you can help by making sure there’s an easy access for them to get in and out of the home as they remove the deceased for transport to the funeral home.

This may mean clearing a pathway in a hallway or in a garage so the funeral home staff can easily get into the room where the deceased is and back out to their vehicle.

Pets may need to be sheltered or removed from the deceased’s room because they were close to the deceased. You can make sure that pets are taken care of.

After the funeral home has left with the deceased, you can help out by simply cleaning and straightening up the house. Caregivers do the best they can with keeping up their homes, but there are a lot of things that simply don’t get done.

The dishwasher may need to be unloaded. The refrigerator may need to be cleaned out. Food may need to made or bought and brought in so everyone eats.

Being there matters, both in the immediacy of loss and in grief. It doesn’t take much to show your love, care, and concern for someone who’s lost a loved one.

For more information about grief resources and cremation services offered in Glendale, AZ, including grief resources, our caring and knowledgeable staff at Simply Cremations & Funeral Arrangements is here to assist you.