How to Support a Grieving Parent

The responsibility of helping your aging parents deal with the death of a loved one is inevitable. Assisting your surviving grieving parent through the death of their spouse can prove difficult because your grief from losing a parent, and your parent's grief are completely different. Though we all experience grief differently, there are many ways you can offer support to your grieving parent during this challenging time.

Ways on How to Support Your Grieving Parent

Good Physical Health Promotes Better Mental Health

Grief can take a real physical toll on a person; it is an exhausting process. Supporting your grieving parent's physical health is a great way to help promote their positive mental well-being also. There are a few basic ways you can do this through their grief.

Make sure they are eating regular, healthy meals. When in the pits of grief, often appetites are suppressed and cooking may be something that the deceased spouse usually did. Make arrangements for neighbors and friends to drop off healthy meals. You can take your parent out for a meal, or simply help with meal planning and preparation. If eating isn't something your parent feels capable of, make sure there are healthy snacks in the house and suggest smaller meals throughout the day.

Exercise and sunlight are important too. A simple walk around the block can boost endorphins and help with both physical and mental health. If you live nearby, offer to walk with them, or arrange for a neighbor to do so.

Make Room in Your Life

Simply making a concentrated effort to spend more time and energy with/on your parent can significantly reduce the impact their grief has on their life. Isolation can have severe detrimental effects on the aging population, which is compounded by the presence of grief. Making yourself available when you live nearby can be as easy as stopping to take your loved one to lunch, or popping in to watch a movie together. When you live further away, this can be a little harder to manage. Video chats, phone calls, as well as snail mail can help make the grieving process less solitary.

Reduce Social Stress

Helping to get your grieving parent back into social situations can promote healing as well. To a grieving person, even everyday tasks like making a shopping list can seem like too much to bear. The job of researching a part-time job, a social club, or volunteer opportunities can seem completely overwhelming. But, you can take some of the heavy lifting off their shoulders.

For instance, you could do research to find what social clubs are available for your parent's age group. Perhaps there is a bowling club or bingo opportunity nearby for senior citizens. Think about what hobbies your parent enjoys and see what options are local for them. Providing them with a list of options is the first step in getting them to participate in social events.

Give it Time

Being patient with your loved one's grief is critical to helping them through their personal grieving process. Don't rush major decisions. Listen to their concerns and feelings. Most of all, remember that you can't rescue them from their grief, you can only support them through it.

If you live in Eastern PA, and are looking for support and companionship for your grieving loved one, give us a call. See how we can help you through the process. Our companion care services which focus on improving the health and well-being of your aging loved one might be just the support you and your family need through this difficult time.