What is something meaningful that you can do for a friend or loved one experiences a loss? What can you do (beyond flowers) that let's them know you're thinking about them and want to be there for them? We asked our listeners, and here's what they offered:
Talking And Being There
Talk to them, and let them talk about their loved one. No one wants to mention my daughter and that is sad.
We heard from many parents who experienced the loss of children, and every single one said they wanted to talk with other people about their kids. To those of us that have experienced that loss, we were a bit surprised that every parent said this. The parents said that people should feel bad about bringing them up, because the pain is already as bad as it can be, and talking about their kids brings them comfort.
Meals
You can set up a meal train for her. It's a website you can go to and people can sign up to send her meals so she doesn't have to cook
I lost my dad 11 years ago and the meals people sent were so great. You have a hard enough time getting back to normalcy and this helps ease some of that.
When my mom passed 6 years ago - food was sent to our family home where we would be gathering. Family friends found a place we could go for meals between viewings & catered it for us. Then a few weeks after a good took me out to dinner - low key just to talk.
Received an order of soup from the website Spoonful of Comfort from good friends when my father passed away two months ago. It was the best gift. Because if there's one thing you don't feel like doing it's cooking.
Gifts
When my father passes away a coworker gave me a beautiful picture frame for me to put his picture in. I truly appreciated the gesture and proudly display it 25 years later. It is now my standard gift (along with a meal) for friends who have experienced a loss.
If the loved one is still at funeral home, ask your friend to have the funeral home get fingerprints. She can send the prints to Etsy and get it put on a pendant for a necklace, or a ring, or a keychain. I work in an ICU and we sometimes get the prints for the families.
I try to send a plant- each time it blooms it reminds them of their loved one <3< p>
Name a star after them. There's a site that does that.
Instead of flowers to the funeral home, I send a wind chime on a Shepard's hook.
If their parent was an outdoorsy kind of person, you could take your friend hiking and plant a tree in their parents honor. Or if they were a big animal person, donate something to the shelter.
If the person who died wore a certain shirt all the time or had a special blanket so to say you could have that made into a teddy bear or a pillow that the person can have around and hold onto when they're in the need of a hug
Good morning. If its the time if year or location where you can plant, I send or deliver a hearty plantable shrub, like an azalea, or a small tree. Then they have a remembrance thats long term. Have a great day.
I have donated the planting of a tree in a national forest after a friend's parent passed away.
I thought this was a unique one - i got my sister in law a shipment of 6 bottles of wine when her mom died of cancer ! She said it was the best sympathy gift she got
Suggestions on What Not To Do
Currently in school for massage and the massage offer is nice. But not really recommended. Because people can have what's called an emotional release. And she may not be ready to have something that intense just yet.
When my boyfriend died my elderly neighbor sent me a ham. I don't even like ham that much. Food gift cards for restaurants and stuff are much better because you don't feel pressured into eating an entire ham before it goes bad.
