Writing a eulogy is a traditional way to say goodbye when a loved one dies. Also known as a funeral speech, a eulogy is given at a funeral or memorial service by someone who was close to the deceased to commemorate their life. This could be a child, best friend, mother or father.
There are no rules to what you can and can’t say in a funeral speech. A eulogy is unique to the person it’s written about, but writing one can leave those grieving feeling lost for words. We have some advice on how to make writing a funeral speech feel less daunting for those who want to remember and honour their loved one’s life.
Decide on the tone of your funeral speech
Traditional eulogies are personal, meaningful and heartfelt. They vary in tone, but they tend to be conversational to ensure that everyone attending the funeral or memorial service can understand and relate to the words being said.
Whether you choose to adopt an uplifting tone with a bit of light humour or prefer to keep the eulogy sombre and serious is entirely up to you. It also depends on the relationship you shared with the deceased.
When writing your eulogy, remember to keep in mind your audience. The last thing you’d want to do is offend or upset the mourners attending the funeral with an unsuitable tone.
Ask family and friends for their memories
Before you sit down to write your eulogy, ask family and friends of the deceased for their recollections. This will bring comfort to them during the funeral and may jog some memories they had long forgotten about, too. Brainstorming with loved ones will also give you an idea of which memories to focus on throughout your speech.
What to include in a eulogy
Perhaps one of the hardest things about writing a funeral speech is knowing what to include about your loved one’s life. While this will vary from person to person depending on their history, it’s traditional to focus on their achievements alongside a brief timeline of their life. To help get you started, you might like to talk about:
- Where the deceased was born
- The names of their parents and siblings
- Nicknames and a brief background behind them
- An overview of their childhood, including schools attended
- Academic qualifications and achievements
- Details of military service
- Marriages, divorces, children and grandchildren
- Hobbies and interests
- Interesting stories
- Detail about their personality and preferences
Introduce yourself
Before writing the main bulk of the eulogy, remember to introduce yourself. Not all mourners at the funeral will know who you are, so offer a couple of lines of context about who the deceased was to you. This will help provide background for the rest of the eulogy.
Thank people for attending
To help soothe your nerves and ease your way into the eulogy, thank everyone for taking the time out of their day to come to the funeral service. You can also use this section to express your heartfelt condolences before you start reading the rest of the eulogy. This may be the hardest part of the funeral speech, so remember to bring tissues to the front of the room with you in case you need them.
Share memories of the deceased
Many people like to dedicate the main bulk of their eulogy to sharing fond memories of the deceased. You can make your speech as personal as you’d like it to be, but focusing on stories about the deceased and the qualities that made them special is a fitting way to say goodbye. Funerals don’t have to be sombre – they can be a celebration of life, so try to maintain a positive tone throughout this section to help lift the spirits of those in attendance.
Close the eulogy with comforting words
When closing the eulogy, say your final goodbye and finish by offering some words of comfort to the other mourners. You may want to end with your loved one’s favourite poem, quote or saying. Then, conclude your speech with a final goodbye.
Keep your speech short and sweet
Try to keep your eulogy around 3-5 minutes long. This is the perfect length to keep the audience’s attention while allowing enough time to delve into detail about the deceased’s life. Speak to the person organising the funeral about how long you have and time yourself to ensure you stick to the time limit.
If you need advice about funeral planning or a friendly ear to talk to, we’re here for you. Nothing is too much trouble, so come and speak to our friendly and knowledgeable team for more information.
It may seem strange to be thinking about your own death and what happens afterwards. But planning how – and where – you’d like to be remembered is part of your legacy. When the time comes, it will give your family peace of mind to know they’re carrying out your wishes.
There are several components to end-of-life planning, some of which may help you and those close to you prepare. To help make this daunting task feel a little easier, we’ve got some tips on how to get things in order before it’s too late.
Why plan ahead?
Getting advice about later life planning is important, as it can help make things feel much easier later down the line. Planning ahead can also take the pressure off your family and significantly reduce the cost of your funeral.
We understand that planning for your death ahead of time can feel overwhelming. If you need additional support, Life Ledger offers a free, easy-to-use service that allows families to notify every business connected to the deceased from a single place. Life Ledger can help individuals and families before they experience a bereavement with simple and easy end-of-life planning.
Here are the other main things you should think about before dipping your toe into funeral planning.
Ensure you have an up-to-date will
Having an up-to-date will written by a solicitor is vital in ensuring your wishes are respected and followed. A legitimate will also free your family from the burden of difficult decisions and legal complications.
If you don’t yet have one or are unsure of where to start, March is Free Wills Month. Supported by a group of well-respected charities, Free Wills Month offers anyone aged 55 and over the opportunity to have a simple will written or updated free of charge by participating solicitors across England, Scotland, and Wales.
To get involved, simply enter your details on the Free Wills Month website to find participating solicitors near you.
Appoint an individual with durable power of attorney
A durable power of attorney is an important legal document that gives another person the right to make decisions about your finances, health and welfare should you become incapacitated. Choosing someone you trust, such as a friend or loved one, negates the need for costly and stressful court action should the worst happen. This is especially important if you’re unwell or suffering from a long-term or terminal illness.
If you need help in coping with a terminal illness, Hospice UK’s Dying Matters Campaign is committed to creating an open culture in which we’re comfortable about talking death, dying and bereavement. Visit the website for helpful resources and more information about how the charity can support you.
Specify preferences for your funeral, burial, or cremation
Everyone deserves to have their wishes met when the time comes. Regardless of your spiritual or religious beliefs, choosing whether you’d like a funeral, burial or cremation is a big decision to make. However, thinking about it as early as possible helps take the stress away from your loved ones during a difficult time. Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but talking through your options with your loved ones will make the choice much easier.
We understand that this step can be the hardest of all. That’s why our friendly team of experts are here to help at every step, empowering you to make the right choices.
Select a resting place
Most of us believe that a final resting place is all about the deceased. It’s easy to ignore what will happen after you die – and many of us don’t consider how difficult the decisions are for the loved ones left behind. But choosing your final resting place before the time comes can bring you and your family a sense of peace before you pass.
When thinking about where you’d like your final resting place to be, GreenAcres is not only a place where your loved ones can reflect on your life, but a beautiful location to meet, go for a walk, and make connections that can last a lifetime.
You can choose where you want to rest from a variety of settings, from peaceful sustainably managed woodlands and stunning wildflower meadows to relaxing, well-cared-for parkland.
Consider the environmental impact of your funeral
Whatever your wishes, you may want to consider having a sustainable funeral to minimise your impact on the environment. At GreenAcres, we take care to maintain our Parks so that your loved ones can enjoy them for years to come.
We’ve also implemented a range of eco and conservation policies to protect the landscape (such as plastic free). Additionally, we encourage the use of natural coffin materials, such as bamboo, cardboard, willow and banana leaf, wherever possible. You can even choose to have no coffin at all!
Explore themes, music, colours that you may wish your life to be celebrated
A funeral or memorial service is a unique way to celebrate the life you lived. While traditional funeral etiquette suggests that mourners should wear black, you might want to choose more vibrant colours instead to more accurately represent your life. You may also wish to select a theme that reflects your hobbies, interests, or culture.
Talk to your loved ones about your wishes, as they can help you plan the perfect send-off. They can also offer ideas that you may not have considered before. In fact, many families tell us that the conversation they’d been dreading turned into laughter and smiles.
Co-op Funeralcare has pulled together a list of the nation’s most popular farewell songs – and the top five may surprise you! Take a look to see if your favourite’s on the list.
Top of the (funeral) Pops include:
| 1 | You’ll Never Walk Alone | Gerry and The Pacemakers |
| 2 | My Way | Frank Sinatra |
| 3 | Always Look On The Bright Side of Life | Eric Idle |
| 4 | Simply The Best | Tina Turner |
| 5 | Supermarket Flowers | Ed Sheeran |
We’re here to help you every step of the way. Come and speak to our knowledgeable team to learn more about the options available to you for planning for the future. You may also benefit from attending one of our Later Life Planning Seminars run at many of our Parks throughout the year. See our website for more information.
Thanks for the memory
Of Schubert’s Serenade
Little things of jade
And traffic jams
And anagrams
And bills we never paid…
(From ‘Thanks for the memory’. Lyrics by Leo Robin)
The first memorial most of us create to someone we have loved is a funeral service. This gives us an opportunity to share memories, as well as photos, and to talk about the person who has died. However, it can be difficult to plan this, often at short notice, so it does justice to the memory of a loved one in the time allowed. Some venues offer more flexible options, for example, longer services to accommodate your requirements.
Recent Covid-19 restrictions, that limit the number of mourners who can attend a funeral, have made it more challenging at some venues to plan the funeral or memorial service you wanted. Venues such as GreenAcres parks can incorporate live-streaming or recording of services so you can share them with many more people.
Of course, there are other ways – both traditional and less conventional – to remember your loved one and celebrate their life. You don’t need to involve a funeral director if you’re organising a memorial service after a burial or cremation, or to commemorate the life of the person you loved in the way you wish. This can normally be arranged directly with the venue.
While many people choose to arrange for a traditional, permanent memorial, such as a headstone or mausoleum, others choose to scatter their loved one’s ashes in a place the person enjoyed visiting, perhaps a special spot in the countryside or at sea.
Living memorials
With increasing awareness of our impact on the environment, living memorials such as planting a native tree offer a ‘greener’ way to commemorate a loved one, as well as providing habitats for a range of wildlife. Parks, such as GreenAcres, have a range of native trees selected by the Grounds Team that a family can choose from. Or you can plant a biodegradable urn that, along with the surrounding soil, nurtures a tree or wildflowers with your loved one’s ashes.
Woodland memorials
Within burial parks and woodland cemeteries, like GreenAcres, you have the option of creating a memorial that’s also a natural habitat for birds, bees, owls, butterflies or bats. And at GreenAcres Parks, you can choose to commemorate your loved one in beautiful surroundings, regardless of whether or not they have been laid to rest at one of our parks.
It’s traditional for graves in natural environments to be marked with a simple oak plaque, with an inscription of your choice. You can also place a memorial bench or other memorial in some burial parklands, along with an engraved plaque to your loved one.
Personal keepsakes
Personal keepsakes are designed to hold a small quantity of ashes. The wonderful thing about them is they can provide the opportunity for every member of the family to retain a treasured memory of their own should they so wish.
Keeping your loved one close
Some people achieve a feeling of having their loved one close to them by keeping some ashes in a cuddly toy. And there’s an increasingly popular trend, mixing ashes with body ink to create a permanent tattoo, to keep someone you love permanently close to your body. Ashes can also be incorporated into memorial jewellery or ornaments, a popular way of feeling near to someone you have lost.
Reaching for the skies
Families are increasingly looking for more original and personalised ways to remember someone, such as scattering their ashes during a tandem skydive, creating a vinyl record that contains compressed ashes, or saying goodbye via a professional memorial firework containing cremated ashes.
Burying ashes at home
Some people bury all or some of the ashes in their garden, although it’s worth considering what might happen if you move to a new home in the future, which might make it difficult to visit your loved one’s resting place.
Planning your own memorial
While it might seem strange to consider how you’d like to be remembered after your death, planning ahead can give you peace of mind. It can also help your family at a difficult time, by knowing they’re doing what you’d have wanted.
If you haven’t already thought about whether you’d want to be buried or cremated, and where you wish to be laid to rest, visiting a contemporary cemetery such as GreenAcres can help you to make some of those difficult decisions. You’re welcome to arrange a tour and talk things through with a member of the team.
GreenAcres parks provide a beautiful setting for your final resting place with many opportunities to represent the way you wish to be remembered for years to come.
And, unlike many other cemeteries, when you purchase a plot in any of the parks (whether for a Full Burial or an Ash Interment), you can choose the place you want to be buried from a variety of beautiful settings. You can also select the type of funeral or memorial service you want.
Nothing can prepare you for how you might feel when someone close to you dies, whether it’s expected or not. It can feel overwhelming, devastating and strange, all at the same time. There’s lots to organise. And it can be difficult to know where to start.
We don’t tend to talk much about death, burial or the kind of funeral you might want. But it’s worth remembering that writing down your own wishes now can take stress and worry away from the people you love most when it’s their turn to make the arrangements.
Some people find comfort in the practical tasks they need to carry out. Of course, it helps if someone has planned ahead and left details of what they’d like, including where they’d like to be buried. If not, and if you haven’t arranged a burial before, here’s a guide to what you need to know.
What to do next
If your loved one dies in a care home or hospital, there should be someone to guide you through what to do next and how to register the death. This involves visiting the nearest Registry Office to where the person has died, taking along the medical certificate of death that’s been signed by a doctor. The Registrar will give you a green form that means a burial can go ahead. You will need to hand this to the Funeral Director you’ve chosen, if you have decided to use one, and not everyone does. You’ll also need to ask for extra copies of the death certificate to settle other affairs such as bank accounts. You’ll need to pay for the first and any additional copies of this certificate.
The Funeral Director is your friend
You might not have met before, but your Funeral Director is the expert who can advise you about all aspects of the funeral and burial. If you don’t feel comfortable about going to their office, most will be happy to come and see you at home, or speak by phone, which feel more relaxed.
At your first meeting, there will be lots of questions. Take your time and don’t feel under pressure to agree to anything you’re not happy about. There shouldn’t be any pressure, for example, about choosing the coffin, car or flowers. And if you at anytime feel that the Funeral Director you have chosen is not suitable for your needs, or they aren’t listening to what you want, you have the option to choose a different one. You are well within your rights to do this. This relationship, although a short one, is going to be important over the next few weeks.
If your loved one hasn’t left any directions, you’ll need to make the decisions about whether you want a funeral service and, if you do, where it will be held. The Funeral Director will also discuss whether the body is to be embalmed, ask where your loved one is to be buried (this may also affect the type of coffin that’s permitted), and whether you’ve thought about what might be placed on top of the coffin. And you’ll also need to discuss what clothes you’d like your loved one to be buried in and whether any personal items are to be buried with them (again, the type of burial site may affect which items can be included).
The funeral service
You might already have a good idea of whether you’re going to have a service and, if so, where it will be, who will lead it and who should deliver the eulogy. Or you may not. You’ll need to find time to discuss these details with family or friends and work with your Funeral Director to create an Order of Service. Don’t underestimate how difficult it can be to deliver a eulogy if you’re a close relative or friend of the person who has died. It’s one of the most challenging tasks you could take on at such an emotional time. If you are not used to public speaking and prefer not to deliver this your friends and family will understand.
Sometimes, a person’s religious faith affects how soon after death the funeral needs to take place. But in many cases, funerals take place over a week afterwards, to give people who may live further away time to plan their travel.
Funeral services are usually held before the body is buried, while memorial services can be arranged a while later. In some service halls, the ceremony can be recorded and live-streamed to mourners who aren’t able to attend. And some people choose a graveside service at the burial site instead of a service hall.
Covid-19 restrictions
Currently, there are some restrictions that affect funeral arrangements. Your Funeral Director will be able to advise you about the latest rules. Alternatively you can visit Gov.uk website for the most recent updates.
Choosing a burial plot
If your loved one hasn’t left a note of their wishes, you’ll need to consider not only where they should be buried, but any restrictions that apply to the cemetery, including the type of coffin that can be used. In a traditional graveyard, you can choose pretty much any type of coffin or casket (including metal caskets) you wish, and the site can be marked with a headstone, mausoleum or burial vault.
Nowadays, many people are choosing more environmentally friendly burials, and these come with some restrictions. In most sites, a simple shroud can be used instead of a coffin and there are some restrictions on the type of coffin that can be used. For example, in a natural burial site, the coffin should be made of biodegradable materials, without metal handles, and there should be no other materials in the coffin that don’t break down naturally. Some woodland burial sites, such as GreenAcres parks, have slightly different/flexible criteria that allow any type of coffin with the exception of zinc lined and metal caskets in their woodland. However, their parklands do allow metal caskets to be interred, but your Funeral Director and the cemetery will be able to advise you about these.
Finding the right way to remember
Modern cemeteries are designed to be a place for the living. That means they’re spaces where people want to meet, spend time, walk and reflect on a loved one.
Many private cemeteries offer a choice of burial site so that traditional areas can accommodate a headstone or mausoleum, whereas woodland areas might have more discreet memorials, simple wooden posts or ‘living memorials’ such as trees that will outlast those who chose them. Or there’s the option of having an unmarked grave that, over time, becomes an integral part of the surrounding natural environment.
In a contemporary burial site like GreenAcres, it’s really up to you. You can consider an oak memorial post or memorial plaque or even a ‘living memorial’ like a tree or a natural habitat for wildlife such as a bird box.
Staying together
Sometimes a couple wish to stay together not only in life but also after they’ve died. Finding a private garden or a woodland glade where your loved one can be buried, but that also leaves space for a partner to follow, is a popular choice.
Marked burial plots, with double-depth graves, at GreenAcres mean that a second person can be laid to rest with their loved one in the future.
In some areas of GreenAcres parks, there is also an option to reserve several spaces in private gardens and woodland glades, meaning families and friends can be buried close together.
How can you safeguard a burial plot for the future?
Some organisations give you the option of buying a long lease on a burial plot. This means it’s protected for future generations, who won’t have to bear the financial burden of renewing the lease or the guilt if they don’t. Private cemeteries like GreenAcres offer the flexibility of choosing from a variety of lease periods from 25 years to the life of the park.
What makes modern burials different?
For a growing number of people, the focus is on sustainability, biodiversity, quality of service and choice.
At GreenAcres, you can choose a burial plot in one of the six beautiful parks, located in different parts of the country. Depending on which of the parks you select, there’s a choice of woodland, meadows and lawns within acres of protected parkland.
Where can I go for more information?
Funeral Guide gives you step-by-step information on what to do when someone dies.
Tell Us Once is a service that enables you to report a death to most government organisations in one go.
Find out more about organising a burial at GreenAcres.
Losing your mother or a motherly figure can be one of the most emotional and painful experiences you’ll ever go through.
This blog will guide you through a myriad of emotions you may be experiencing and will provide useful tips on how to support children grieving the loss of a mother.
Missing your Mum on special occasions
If you are struggling with grief of losing your mother or a motherly figure, special occasions such as Mother’s Day, Christmas, Birthday’s or anniversaries can be challenging. Below we’ve compiled five useful tips to help you deal with loss.
Be kind to yourself – There are five stages of grief from denial to acceptance and you may experience each stage at different times. Understanding these different stages will help you to realise that all the strange feelings you are feeling are perfectly normal.
Talk to your loved ones or friends – By sharing your fondest memories and stories of your mother with someone, can help keep their memory alive and bring some sense of comfort.
Do an activity your mum would love – From cooking her favourite meal, baking a cake, a spot of gardening or even watching one of her favourite TV shows/ Films.
Visit their grave or memorial spot – Taking the time to visit your mother’s grave or memorial spot can help bring you some comfort and time to reflect.
Practice self-care – Take the day to love and nurture yourself. Run yourself a hot bath, practise yoga, sing, dance, do things that make you smile.
Ask for help – Losing a parent or loved one can be a difficult process, there is no shame in asking for help or extra support if you feel like you are struggling. It maybe helpful to speak to someone outside of your family and friend circle such as your GP or a bereavement specialist.
NHS approved, Cruse Bereavement Care offers a wide range of support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies.
Supporting grieving children
For a child who has recently suffered the loss of a mother or motherly figure, the feelings of grief can feel confusing and frustrating.
Be patient – Children process and express grief differently from adults. Children may go from playing and laughing one minute to floods of tears the next. Be patient with them and let them know that it is ok to feel this way.
Consistency is key – Try to maintain household routines such as mealtimes, bedtimes etc. as much as possible. Structure and consistency are important to a child as they will help to create a sense of security.
Answer their questions – Naturally, children ask a lot of questions and this is no different when it comes to death. Answering any questions children might have about death and why it happens, will help give them a better understanding as to why they are experiencing certain emotions. If you find some questions too difficult to answer, there are many children’s books available that can help explain death in a ‘child friendly’ manner. You can find a list of over 60 children’s books on the topic of death and grief here.
Create a ‘Memory Box’ – Filling a box with photos, keepsakes and other special items is a great activity to do with children to help them feel more connected to a lost one. It is also a tangible item that children can keep going back to when they are feeling sad. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Memory-Box
If you are concerned that your child is struggling to cope or have noticed any unusual behavioural changes, you can seek further help and advice from your GP or organisations like Child Bereavement UK and Hope Again.
Prioritising your health and wellbeing
It can be difficult to think of anything else when dealing with grief, but taking some time to focus on the importance of your health and wellbeing can be beneficial, and can even help clear your mind.
Heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the most common cause of death and disability in women worldwide.
Losing a loved one to a disease such as cancer can spark worry into your own health and wellbeing. However, there are steps you can take to help reduce your risks of cancer:
Tobacco use – Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death worldwide and is the leading cause of over 7 million deaths per year. Quitting at any age can make a huge difference, increasing your life expectancy and improving your quality of life.
Physical Activity – Maintaining a healthy weight and making physical activity part of your everyday life can help reduce your risks of cancer and other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Alcohol – By reducing and limiting how much you drink, can reduce your risk of 7 cancers including breast, mouth and bowel cancers.
If you are worried about cancer in your family – If you have recently lost your mother or another strong female figure in your family to cancer and are worried if it could be hereditary, the Ovarian Cancer Action website offers a ‘Hereditary Cancer Risk Tool’ which can help to assess your risks of developing certain cancers.
Early detection saves lives – There are many different types of cancers, and symptoms are varied, however, the earlier cancer is detected the higher the chance that it can be successfully treated.
If you are concerned about your health or have experienced any unusual symptoms or changes in your body, don’t be afraid to contact your doctor immediately.
References:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/alcohol-and-cancer
https://www.worldcancerday.org/
https://waltercarter.com.au/blog/lost-without-her-missing-your-mum-on-mothers-day
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/supporting-bereaved-children-and-young-people
Anyone who’s suffered a loss knows that grief isn’t a linear process. Grief comes and goes and varies with intensity, which means for some, the second year of grief can be harder than the first 12 months. Once the initial shock starts to fade, there’s the reality that this change is forever, unveiling layers of feelings and emotions.
There’s no timeline for when grief should fade. Everyone grieves differently, too, but the most important thing is having a solid support system you can rely on during your darkest days.
5 reasons why the second year of grief can be harder
1. Reality starts to kick in
In the early stages of grief, shock and disbelief provide a temporary cushion against the harsh impact of loss. There are many important things to deal with in the immediate aftermath of death, like making funeral arrangements and closing accounts. However, these protective shields weaken throughout the second year, forcing those left behind to confront the absence of loved ones who are no longer around.
Planning for the future without a loved one isn’t an easy process. You’re heading out of the survival stage and into a more permanent reality, which brings many challenges and emotions. It’s important to embrace this period with patience and self-compassion to allow yourself to come to terms with the loss and start building your new future.
2. Grief can take you by surprise
Two years is a relatively short amount of time in the landscape of grief. During this time, it can be so easy to forget – even for a split second – that your loved one is no longer with you. These fleeting moments can be as painful as the initial shock of their passing.
Similarly, within the first few years, birthdays and anniversaries that once marked special occasions are poignant reminders of grief. While they can turn into a celebration of your loved one’s life as time goes by, these milestones often carry the weight of sadness in the first few years after a loss.
If you’re finding it difficult to face anniversaries and special occasions after a death, read our blog post for some tips and advice on how to approach them.
3. Things won’t necessarily feel better
Time can be a healer for many people, but things don’t always feel easier in the second year. While the initial shock of the death may subside fairly quickly, the ache of grief lingers for a lot longer. Moments of respite may be engulfed by waves of sadness, serving as a stark reminder that grief is a non-linear process.
For parents and grandparents who have lost a child or grandchild, time passing can bring so much pain. Milestones like starting school, passing exams and graduations are missed and carry a lifetime of loss.
The death of a child is unparalleled – that’s why Child Bereavement UK offers a range of resources on how to understand these feelings, as well as providing additional support should you need it.
4. You may need to make significant life changes
The second year of grief may be the time when you have to consider certain things, like downsizing your home or picking up extra hours in your job. Whether this is because you need a new challenge or have to adapt to a new financial situation, change can take you out of your comfort zone, making it a difficult experience full of unknowns.
Change not only amplifies that your loved one is no longer around, but for many, the idea of ‘moving on’ can feel like a betrayal. These are difficult emotions for anyone to bear.
However, changes can be positive. The person you have lost would want you to find joy again – it might just be a different joy from what you are used to. Many people who have gone through a similar situation find they are surprised by their own strength and courage. Perhaps you might be, too.
5. Support may not be as readily available
Immediately after a death, those around you tend to offer an abundance of support and sympathy. But this may change in the second year, with people moving on with their lives and forgetting to check-in. While this may not be intentional, it can be painful, nonetheless. It’s important that if you need help, you’re able to get it. Several resources and groups are available, including Cruse Bereavement Support and our friendly Bereavement Groups at our local Parks. See details about this at the bottom of the blog.
How to navigate the second year of grief
Here are some ways you can support yourself during the second year of grief:
- Be kind to yourself and don’t judge yourself too harshly about where you are in your journey with grief
- Tell your loved ones what you need and how they can help
- Reflect on the first year and write down your achievements, even if they seem small
- Focus on practising self-care as much as you need and never feel guilty for putting yourself first
- Join support groups to meet like-minded people who understand what you’re going through and can offer actionable advice
- Be patient with yourself. Your journey with grief will take as long as it needs to
Get the support you need with GreenAcres
At GreenAcres, we’re here to offer you the help you need to navigate your journey with grief. You’re welcome to join us at your local Park for our Bereavement Group, where you’ll find a kind and supportive space with understanding from others who are also living life after loss. We promise you a warm welcome from our experienced and compassionate team along with tea, coffee and cake! This event is FREE for anyone bereaved in the local community surrounding the Park. Find out more and sign up to an event here.
Our blog is also full of useful tips and advice on where to turn to if you need extra support. And if you need a friendly ear to talk to, please reach out to our experienced team who will do all they can to guide you through the most difficult times.