Grief occurs when a person experiences a loss that cannot be retrieved. It is often connected with the loss of a loved one, but can also pertain to the loss of health, finances, or freedom (such as driving or being able to live independently). Grief can feel differently and even be experienced in different ways for the same person, but it is generally described as an emotional response that is all-consuming.

Different Stages of Grief

Your loved one’s grief will not always look the same. For most individuals, there are stages of grief that they must cycle through to come out the other side. While there isn’t a specific order they must go through and no set timeline for these stages, the five stages of grief are as follows:

  • Denial
  • Anger
  • Bargaining
  • Depression
  • Acceptance

And while acceptance is usually the final step in grief, it doesn’t mean that other previous emotions are completely gone. They may come in waves, especially during moments in life when the individual grieving is remembering who or what they are grieving.

How To Walk Beside Your Grieving Senior

As a caregiver, providing room, space, and grace with grief is important. In the past, many people were advised to “just get over it,” or “move on,” but now it’s understood that healthy grieving is an important part of finding joy again after the grief. National Grief Awareness Day on August 30 each year is an annual reminder that we all grieve at some point in our lives and supporting those who are grieving will allow them to process their emotions.

Two Key Steps in Supporting a Grieving Loved One

Listen

Listening can sometimes be hard. It might mean you have to sit still, let them vent, yell, or cry, and then simply offer a shoulder to lean on or a hand to hold. It means not saying “it’ll be alright,” or “think positively.” It doesn’t even entail you saying you understand, because most likely, you cannot completely understand their grief fully. Instead, listening means letting them lead the conversation and providing a safe place for your loved one to share all his feelings when and how he needs to.

Offer Support

A grieving person may not know how to ask for help, so being observant of what they need can help. Bringing a meal to someone who can’t concentrate enough to cook can help make sure they continue to eat well and offering to drive them to and from important appointments can make sure they arrive safely both at the appointment and home again.

Companion Care at Home Can Support Your Grieving Loved One

If you are not physically near your loved one, you might be looking for someone you trust who can step in and help your loved one through this period of loss. A companion care at home provider can visit your loved one and help with emotional support as well as provide for their needs that might not be met currently. A companion care at home provider can help with meals, cleaning around the home, and helping your loved one with personal care like brushing her hair or trimming her nails.

During grieving, often the easiest daily chores can seem overwhelming. Having a companion care at home provider step in and help can let your loved one grieve safely and find healing as she travels that journey.

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in St. Louis Park, MN and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.