When you attend a funeral, your priority is to offer your condolences to the family grieving the loss of a loved one. A few words of sympathy, a thoughtfully worded card and a kind hug can all help the family know that you care, but you can extend your caring approach by also offering your assistance with matters in the days following the service. Attend the funeral service armed with some ways you can help; while your interaction with the grieving family members is typically brief, you can use it to share some ideas about how you can lend a hand. If the family doesn't have time to listen to your thoughts, ask if you can call in the next day or two to share how you wish to help. Here are three areas you can discuss.
Help With Daily Tasks
It's worthwhile to pledge your assistance with daily tasks for which the family might not have time. Jobs around the house, such as vacuuming, cleaning and mowing the lawn, and everyday activities such as grocery shopping and trips to the post office, can be easy for you to handle and will help the family immeasurably. If the family has young children, driving them to their social activities, such as after-school clubs, sporting events and even visits to the doctor or orthodontist, can ease the burden on the parents.
Help With Food
The last thing a family might feel like doing after the death of a loved one is cooking, but eating out can quickly get expensive. If you enjoy cooking and baking, you can help out by dropping off some ready-to-make meals at the family's home. While the exact food you prepare depends on your areas of expertise and the family's tastes, casseroles, homemade soups and slow-cooker stews are ideal because they're easy for the family to prepare. Breakfast foods, such as homemade granola, muffins and a fresh fruit salad, can assist the family when they are rushing to get out of the house in the morning.
Help With The Deceased Person's Affairs
The assistance you provide doesn't need to come in the day or two after the funeral. In the coming weeks or even months, the family will begin the task of sorting out the deceased person's affairs, which can be emotionally taxing. There are a number of ways you can help with this task, including transporting old clothing to a local charity and cleaning the home to prepare it for sale. You can also look after the family's young children to avoid them being in the way while their parents deal with the various tasks.
For more information about how to assist grieving families, contact a funeral service professional such as Taylor Funeral Home.
