What You Can Do For a Person Who is Bereaved

Pat Schwiebert, RN
Grief Watch

Immediate needs

• Send a card with a list of concrete things that you are able to help with
• Invitations to coffee, dinner, a walk, a visit or whatever
• Cards and letters with pictures or memories of their loved one
• Advice to accept any and all offers of help
• Information about and attending a grief Support Group (including times, place)
• A place for relatives to stay
• Transportation to/from the airport for relatives
• Assistance in planning and organizing the funeral/memorial service
• Non-perishable food items
• List making and record keeping so thank you notes can be sent
• Phone card
• Your physical presence
• Transportation to doctor’s appointments, grocery store, etc.. It is difficult to drive in the first couple of days and weeks
• Assistance with errands, shopping, housecleaning, etc.
• Childcare so they can rest without having to worry about the needs and safety of their surviving child or children
• Addressing and stamping envelopes for thank you notes
• Money (death and grief can be very expensive)

Needs down the road

• Continue to call and acknowledge the loss in the conversation
• Continue to send notes (preferably in the mail)
• Mention by name the one who died
• Remember holidays and birthdays, death days
• Sit with them at church
• Go walking with them or join an exercise group together
• Invite them out for lunch or dinner…or take dinner to them and eat at their home